Systems and methods for docking stations removably attachable to display apparatuses

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods disclosed herein disclose the use of docking stations with docking station receptacles of display apparatuses and docking stand assemblies. A docking station placed in a docking station receptacle of a display apparatus may connect to a host device and transport power and/or data as between the docking station, the host device, the display apparatus, and any external object(s). A docking station placed in a docking station receptacle of a docking stand assembly that includes a docking tray configured to interface with a portable electronic device (PED) may transport power and/or data as between the docking station, the PED, and any external objects via a power and data delivery pathway within the docking stand assembly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Pat. Application No.17/016,005, filed Sep. 9, 2020 and titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORDOCKING STATIONS REMOVABLY ATTACHABLE TO DISPLAY APPARATUSES, which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. Application No. 16/833,089, filed Mar.27, 2020 and titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DOCKING STATIONS REMOVABLYATTACHABLE TO DISPLAY APPARATUSES, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/911,756, filed Oct. 7, 2019 and titledSYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VIEWING APPARATUS WITH REMOVABLY ATTACHABLEDOCKING STATION, and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/897,772,filed Sep. 9, 2019 and titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VIEWING APPARATUSWITH REMOVABLY ATTACHABLE DOCKING STATION, each of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Electronic devices may connect to each other in order to transport dataand/or power between themselves. Relative to each relevant electronicdevice, the data so transported may be input data or output data.Relative to each relevant electronic device, the power so transportedmay be input power or output power.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to the field of docking stations andtheir use with display apparatuses and docking stand assemblies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the disclosure aredescribed, including various embodiments of the disclosure withreference to the figures, in which:

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate components of a system for docking with a hostdevice, according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate components of a system for docking with a hostdevice, according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate components of a system for docking with a hostdevice, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a docking station with a wireless transceiver that isremovable from a body of the docking station, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates components of a system for docking with a hostdevice, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates components of a system for docking with a hostdevice, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates components of a system for docking with a hostdevice, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a system for docking with a host device,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a system for docking with a host device,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a system for docking with a host device,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 illustrates a method of a docking station, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates a method of a docking station, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates a method of a display apparatus, according to anembodiment

FIG. 14 illustrates a method of a display apparatus, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 15 illustrates a front perspective view of a docking stand assemblyaccording to an embodiment.

FIG. 16 illustrates a front perspective view of a docking stand assemblywith a docking tray that has received a PED assembly, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 17 illustrates a rear perspective view of a docking stand assembly,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 18 illustrates a rear perspective view of a docking stand assembly,according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 19A-19E illustrate various perspective views of a PED assembly foruse with a docking stand assembly, according to various embodiments.

FIG. 20 illustrates a front view of a cross-section of a case for a PEDof a PED assembly, as such case has been inserted into a docking tray,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 21 illustrates various side views of a docking station apparatus,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 22 illustrates various top views of a docking stand assembly,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 23 illustrates the insertion of a docking station into a dockingstation receptacle of a docking stand assembly, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 24 illustrates a docking station, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 25 illustrates a docking station, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 26 illustrates a docking station, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 27 illustrates a perspective view of the bottom of a docking standassembly, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 28 illustrates an exploded view of a mounting configuration for adocking stand assembly, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 29 illustrates a back perspective view of a docking stand assemblythat has been mounted to a surface using a mounting plate (not visible)and post and allowing for cable access through ducting according to amounting configuration, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 30 illustrates a front perspective view of a docking stand assemblyaccording to an embodiment.

FIG. 31 illustrates a front perspective view of a docking stand assemblywith a docking tray that has received a PED, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 32 illustrates a rear perspective view of a docking stand assembly,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 33 illustrates various side views of a docking stand assembly,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 34 is a block diagram of a system using a docking stand assembly,according to an embodiment

FIG. 35 is a block diagram of a system for using a docking station and aPED with a docking stand assembly, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 36 illustrates a method of a docking station, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 37 illustrates a method of a PED, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Electronic devices may be designed that connect to, and receive powerand/or data signals from, external objects via one or more connectors.Many devices have a plurality of these connectors, which may includepower connectors to connect power sources (e.g., a DC connector toconnect to an AC/DC adapter or a C14 connector to connect to utilitytransformers via a wall outlet), communications connectors to connectcommunication devices (e.g., RJ-45 connectors to connect to routers orother networking equipment), and data connectors to connect outputdevices (e.g., stereo out connectors to connect to speakers,High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), DisplayPort, or VideoGraphics Array (VGA) connectors to connect to display screens; etc.)and/or input devices (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB) or PS/2connectors to connect to mice and/or keyboards, etc.) to an electronicdevice. Hybrid connectors (e.g., connectors that are capable ofperforming as more than one type of connector) are expresslycontemplated. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that many ofthese (and other, including custom) connectors are understood to be oneor the other of a complementary pair of possibilities for that connectortype (e.g., a “male” version and a “female” version of the connectortype). For the purposes of this disclosure, a “connector” may refer attimes individually to either of the complementary pair for thatconnector type.

In some cases, one or more of these external objects may instead beconnected to one or more connectors of an intermediary docking stationrather than directly to the electronic device. The docking station maythen connect to and electronically communicate with the electronicdevice (e.g., via a connector that is designed to interface with aconnector on the electronic device). In this situation, the electronicdevice may be considered a “host” device (and any connector of thedocking station connected to the host device may be considered a “hostdevice connector”).

The docking station may handle data and/or power to and/or from eachexternal object connected to the docking station to and/or to and/orfrom the connected host device. In this way, the ability to connectand/or remove the one or more external objects to and/or from the hostdevice all at once may be greatly simplified via the simple connectionand/or removal of the single host device connector of the dockingstation. In some embodiments, the docking station may instead (oradditionally) connect to a host device by wirelessly interfacing awireless transceiver of the host device and a wireless transceiver ofthe docking station. However, the act of connecting external objectswith the connectors of a docking station (instead of directly withconnectors on a host device) may not entirely solve the problem ofclutter associated with, for example, cabling from the externalobject(s) to those connectors. If the docking station is notappropriately placed, this clutter may still take up room on, forexample, a desk of the user of the host device and docking station, justas it might if these external objects instead were directly connected toconnectors on the host device.

It may therefore also be beneficial to develop systems and methods forintegrating a docking station into another device. For example, it maybe beneficial to develop systems and methods for integrating a dockingstation into, for example, a display apparatus on the desk of the user.This integration may help remove the clutter associated with the dockingstation away from the surface of the desk (or other area) that the usermay desire to be uncluttered. By integrating a docking station into adisplay apparatus, clutter may also be further reduced by communicatingat least some power and/or data (e.g., power from the docking station tothe display apparatus and/or video signals from the docking station tothe display apparatus) via directly interfacing (without a separatecable) compatible connectors on the docking station and the displayapparatus (rather than by running detachable power and/or video cablesbetween the docking station and the display apparatus).

Further, because of the wide variety of possible host devices (e.g.,laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, desktop computers, etc.), andbecause many of these host devices may only interface with certain typesof host device connectors (each with, perhaps, its own associatedcircuitry) and/or may only be compatible with certain wirelessprotocols, it would also be beneficial to design the display apparatusin such a way that different docking stations (with different hostdevice connectors, differing circuitry associated with those connectors,different supported wireless protocols and/or other various possibledifferences) may be interchanged into the display apparatus in order tomatch the requirements of the current device to be used with the system.

Display Apparatuses With Docking Station Receptacles

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate components of a system 100 for docking with ahost device, according to an embodiment. FIG. 1A illustrates a displayapparatus 102 and a docking station 104.

The display apparatus 102 may include a docking station receptacle 106.The docking station receptacle 106 may be shaped to receive the dockingstation 104 when the docking station 104 is inserted into the back ofthe display apparatus 102. The docking station 104 may be one of manypossible docking stations (with compatibility with many possible hostdevices) that are useable with the display apparatus 102.

The docking station receptacle 106 may include one or more attachmentdevices 108 that may interact with attachment devices of the dockingstation 104 to removably attach the docking station 104 in place oncethe docking station 104 has been inserted into the docking stationreceptacle 106. Examples of possible attachment devices that may be usedbetween the docking station 104 and the docking station receptacle 106include magnet features, hook and catch features, slotted peg and catchfeatures, or any other attachment device 108 appropriate for securingthe docking station 104 to the docking station receptacle 106. One, two,three, four, or any other number of these attachment devices may beused. In the embodiment of FIG. 1A, the attachment devices 108 are catchattachment devices appropriate to accept a slotted peg.

The display apparatus 102 may further include a docking station releasemechanism 110. The docking station release mechanism 110 may release thedocking station 104 from the docking station receptacle 106 bydisengaging the attachment between the attachment devices 108 and anyattachment devices of the docking station 104. For example, the dockingstation release mechanism 110 may disengage a magnetic connectionbetween a magnet associated with an attachment device 108 and a piece ofmetal associated with an attachment device 108 of the docking station104. As another example, the docking station release mechanism 110 maydisengage a catch associated with an attachment device 108 from, forexample, a hook or a slotted peg associated with an attachment device ofthe docking station 104. The docking station release mechanism 110 maybe, for example, a button or a slider. It is contemplated that in someembodiments, the docking station release mechanism 110 may instead beincluded on the docking station 104.

The docking station receptacle 106 may include a direct data connector112. The direct data connector 112 of the display apparatus 102 may beconfigured to interface with a direct data connector of the dockingstation 104 directly (without the use of a cable). This interface mayallow the display apparatus 102 to receive and use graphical and/orother data from the docking station 104. For example, graphical data maybe communicated to the docking station 104 by a host device connected tothe docking station 104 and from there communicated via this interfaceto the display apparatus 102 and used to render a display on a displayscreen 114 of the display apparatus 102. This interface between thedirect data connector 112 of the display apparatus 102 and the directdata connector 112 of the docking station 104 may also allow the displayapparatus 102 to send data to the docking station 104. The direct dataconnector 112 may be, for example, a High-Definition MultimediaInterface (HDMI) connector, a Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connector,a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3 connector, or any otherconnector (including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capable ofcommunicating graphical and/or other data from and/or to the dockingstation 104 and the display apparatus 102.

The docking station receptacle 106 may include a direct power inconnector 116. The direct power in connector 116 may be configured tointerface with a direct power out connector of the docking station 104directly (without the use of a cable). This interface may allow thedocking station 104 to provide the display apparatus 102 with the powernecessary to operate. The direct power in connector 116 may be, forexample, a DC connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, or any otherconnector (including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capable ofcommunicating power from the docking station 104 to the displayapparatus 102.

It is further contemplated that the features of the direct dataconnector 112 and the direct power in connector 116 may, in someembodiments, be combined into a single connector that is capable ofperforming both the data and power communication features described(e.g., a USB-C connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3 connector, and/or a customand/or hybrid connector made for this combined purpose).

The docking station 104 may include a host device connector 118. Thehost device connector 118 may interface with a connector of a hostdevice that is being used with the docking station 104. Via thisinterface, the host device connector 118 may electronically communicatedata and/or power to and/or from the docking station 104 to and/or fromthe connected host device. The host device connector 118 may be, forexample, a USB-C connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3 connector, or any otherconnector (including custom and/or hybrid connectors) that may be usedto interface with a connector of the connected host device for thispurpose.

In some embodiments, the docking station 104 may include a wirelesstransceiver (internal, not shown in FIG. 1A). This wireless transceivermay communicate with a wireless transceiver of the host device that isbeing used with the docking station 104. This interface may communicatedata (e.g., graphical or other data) to and/or from the docking station104 to and/or from the connected host device. This interface may use,for example, a Wi-Fi™ protocol, a Bluetooth™ protocol, or any otherappropriate wireless protocol useable to transfer data in this fashion.

This (or another) wireless transceiver may also be used by the dockingstation 104 to connect to other wireless network devices (e.g., anetwork device such as a router) in order to receive independent data(e.g., data not from a host device) from a network. This data may beused to operate the display apparatus 102 (e.g., used to power on and/oroff the display apparatus 102, used to render a display on the displayscreen of 114 of the display apparatus 102 (such as, e.g., weather,news, or status of another device on the network)). This data may be,e.g., data received from an Internet of Things (IoT) system (such as,e.g., an IoT home automation system).

The docking station 104 may include one or more connectors (for example,connectors 117, 122-126, 136) for connecting the docking station 104 toone or more external objects. As discussed above, the docking station104 may communicate data and/or power to and/or from each of theseexternal objects to and/or from the host device connected to the dockingstation 104 via the host device connector 118 and/or the wirelesstransceiver of the docking station 104.

For example, the docking station 104 may include a power sourceconnector 117. The power source connector 117 may be connected to anexternal power source such as, for example, a battery, a connection to autility transformer that is provided in a structure, or any otherappropriate external power source. The connection to an external powersource via the power source connector 117 may provide the dockingstation 104 the necessary power to function. Further, the dockingstation 104 may need to provide power to each of the display apparatus102, one or more secondary display apparatuses (not shown), a hostdevice (not shown), and/or one or more external objects connected to thedocking station 104. This power (as supplied from the docking station104 to these other devices) may be necessary for these other devices to,for example, operate, charge their internal batteries, and/or pass alongpower to external objects. The power to be supplied to these otherdevices by the docking station 104 may be drawn by the docking station104 from the external power source via the power source connector 117.The power source connector 117 may be, for example, a DC connector, aUSB (e.g., USB-C) connector, an International ElectrotechnicalCommission (IEC) 420 C13 or C14 connector, or any other connector(including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capable of communicatingpower from an external power source to the docking station 104.

As another example, the docking station 104 may include USB connectors122, which may be individually used by the docking station 104 as one ofmany possible connectors (e.g., power connectors, communicationsconnectors, and/or data connectors). In some embodiments, one or more ofthe USB connectors 122 (or other data connectors) may be used to connectto input devices, such as mice and keyboards. Data from these inputdevices may travel through the docking station 104 to a connected hostdevice via the host device connector 118 and/or the wireless transceiverof the docking station 104. In other embodiments, one or more of the USBconnectors 122 (or other data connectors) may be used to connect outputdevices, such as speakers, secondary display screens, printers, or otheroutput devices. Data to these output devices may travel from a connectedhost device through the docking station 104 via the host deviceconnector 118 and/or the wireless transceiver of the docking station104.

As another example, the docking station 104 may include an RJ-45connector 124, which may be used by the docking station 104 as, forexample, a communications connector. In some embodiments, communicationsdata to and/or from a communications device (e.g., a router or othernetwork device) connected to the RJ-45 connector 124 (or othercommunications connector) may travel through the docking station 104 toand/or from a connected host device via the host device connector 118and/or the wireless transceiver of the docking station 104.

As another example, the docking station 104 may include an auxiliarygraphical data connector 126, which may be, for example, an HDMIconnector, a USB-C connector, or another data connector. In someembodiments, graphical data from a connected host device may travel fromthe host device via the host device connector 118 and/or the wirelesstransceiver of the docking station 104 through the docking station 104to a secondary display apparatus (not shown) or another secondarydisplay device that may be connected to the auxiliary graphical dataconnector 126. This graphical data may be used to render a display on adisplay screen of such secondary display apparatus or other secondarydisplay device. In embodiments where a secondary display device isconnected to an auxiliary graphical data connector 126 in this fashion,the communication of graphical data through the docking station 104 tothe secondary display device may be instead of, or in addition to, thecommunication of graphical data to the direct data connector 112 of thedisplay apparatus 102 previously described.

As another example, the docking station 104 may include an auxiliarypower out connector 136, which may be used by the docking station 104as, for example, a power connector for use with a secondary displayapparatus (not shown). The auxiliary power out connector 136 may be, forexample, a DC connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, an IEC 420 C13or C14 connector, or any other connector (including custom and/or hybridconnectors) capable of communicating power from the docking station 104to another device. In some embodiments, power from the docking station104 may travel to a secondary display apparatus that is connected to theauxiliary power out connector 136. This power may be provided to thesecondary display apparatus so that it may operate. This power may besourced by the docking station 104 from the power source connector 117.

Various connectors of the docking station 104 (e.g., the host deviceconnector 118, the auxiliary graphical data connector 126, and/or theauxiliary power out connector 136) may be placed at the end of cables(e.g., cables 120, 128, 138) integrated into the docking station 104 inorder to facilitate simplicity in connecting the connector to itsassociated external object/host device. Other embodiments without suchcables (e.g., where a fully detachable cable is separately provided tointerface with the connector of the docking station 104 and a connectoron the associated external object/host device, and/or where theassociated external object/host device is connected directly to thedocking station 104 via a connector integrated into the body of thedocking station 104) are also contemplated.

FIG. 1B illustrates a back view of the docking station 104. The dockingstation 104 may include a direct power out connector 130. As describedabove, the direct power out connector 130 may interface with the directpower in connector 116 of the display apparatus 102 and may deliverpower to the direct power in connector 116 to operate the displayapparatus 102. The direct power out connector 130 may be, for example, aDC connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, or any other connector(including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capable of communicatingpower from the docking station 104 to the display apparatus 102.

The docking station 104 may include a direct data connector 132. Asdescribed above, the direct data connector 132 may interface with thedirect data connector 112 of the display apparatus 102 to communicategraphical and/or other data from a host device connected to the dockingstation 104 to the display screen 114 of the display apparatus 102. Thedirect data connector 132 may be, for example, an HDMI connector, a DVIconnector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3 connector, orany other connector (including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capableof communicating graphical and/or other data from the docking station104 for use with the display apparatus 102.

It is further contemplated that the features of the direct dataconnector 132 and the direct power out connector 130 may, in someembodiments, be combined into a single connector that is capable ofperforming both the data and power communication features described(e.g., a USB-C connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3 connector, and/or a customand/or hybrid connector made for this combined purpose).

The docking station 104 may include one or more attachment devices 134.As described above, the attachment devices 134 may interact with theattachment devices 108 of the docking station 104 in order to removablyattach the docking station 104 to the docking station receptacle 106. Inthe embodiment of FIG. 1B, the attachment devices 134 may be slotted pegfeatures.

The docking station 104 may include the host device connector 118 (andassociated circuitry) and/or the wireless protocol compatibilitiesnecessary to connect with some types of host devices for thecommunication of data and/or power to and/or from that type of hostdevice, while another docking station may include a different hostdevice connector (and perhaps different associated circuitry) and/ordifferent wireless protocol compatibilities to connect with other typesof host devices for the communication of data and/or power to and/orfrom those types of host devices. It is anticipated that a user of thesystem 100 may be able to leverage the removably attachable nature ofthe docking stations herein described (e.g., the docking station 104) toswitch between two or more such docking stations that are configured towork with the display apparatus 102 as needed, depending on currentdevice (host or otherwise) compatibility requirements.

The docking station 104 may include one or more processors and/orcontrollers (not shown) having instructions thereon to implement one ormore features of the docking station 104 as described herein. Similarly,the display apparatus 102 may include one or more processors and/orcontrollers (not shown) having instructions thereon to implement one ormore features of the display apparatus 102 as described herein. Suchinstructions may be sourced from a non-transitory computer-readablemedium (not shown) on or associated with these processors and/orcontrollers.

FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate components of a system 200 for docking with ahost device, according to an embodiment. FIG. 2A illustrates a displayapparatus 202 and a docking station 204.

The display apparatus 202 may include a docking station receptacle 206.The docking station receptacle 206 may include rails 207A and 207B toreceive the docking station 204 when the docking station 204 is sliddown the back of the display apparatus 202. The docking station 204 maybe one of many possible docking stations (with compatibility with manypossible host devices) that are useable with the display apparatus 202.

The docking station receptacle 206 may include one or more attachmentdevices 208 that may interact with attachment devices of the dockingstation 204 to removably attach the docking station 204 in place oncethe docking station 204 has been inserted into the docking stationreceptacle 206. Examples of possible attachment devices that may be usedbetween the docking station 204 and the docking station receptacle 206include magnet features, hook and catch features, slotted peg and catchfeatures, or any other attachment device 108 appropriate for securingthe docking station 204 to the docking station receptacle 206. One, two,three, four, or any other number of these attachment devices may beused. In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, the attachment devices 208 may bemagnet attachment devices.

The display apparatus 202 may further include a docking station releasemechanism 210. The docking station release mechanism 210 may release thedocking station 204 from the docking station receptacle 206 bydisengaging the attachment between the attachment devices 208 and anyattachment devices of the docking station 204. For example, the dockingstation release mechanism 210 may disengage a magnetic connectionbetween a magnet associated with an attachment device 208 and a piece ofmetal associated with an attachment device of the docking station 204.As another example, the docking station release mechanism 210 maydisengage a catch associated with an attachment device 208 from, forexample, a hook or a slotted peg associated with an attachment device ofthe docking station 204. The docking station release mechanism 210 maybe, for example, a button or a slider. It is contemplated that, in someembodiments, the docking station release mechanism 210 may instead beincluded on the docking station 204.

The docking station receptacle 206 may include a direct data connector212. The direct data connector 212 may be configured to interface with adirect data connector 232 of the docking station 204 directly (withoutthe use of a separate cable). This interface may allow the displayapparatus 202 to receive and use graphical and/or other data from thedocking station 204. For example, graphical data may be communicated tothe docking station 204 by a host device connected to the dockingstation 204 and from there communicated via this interface to thedisplay apparatus 202 and used to render a display on a display screen214 of the display apparatus 202. The interface between the direct dataconnector 212 and the direct data connector 232 of the docking station204 may also allow the display apparatus 202 to send data to the dockingstation 204. The direct data connector 212 may be, for example, an HDMIconnector, a DVI connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, aThunderbolt™ 3 connector, or any other connector (including customand/or hybrid connectors) capable of communicating graphical and/orother data from the docking station 204 for use with the displayapparatus 202.

The docking station receptacle 206 may include a direct power inconnector 216. The direct power in connector 216 may be configured tointerface with a direct power out connector 230 of the docking station204 directly (without the use of a cable). This interface may allow thedocking station 204 to provide the display apparatus 202 with the powernecessary to operate. The direct power in connector 216 may be, forexample, a DC connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, or any otherconnector (including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capable ofcommunicating power from the docking station 204 to the displayapparatus 202.

It is further contemplated that the features of the direct dataconnector 212 and the direct power in connector 216 may, in someembodiments, be combined into a single connector that is capable ofperforming both the data and power communication features described(e.g., a USB-C connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3 connector, and/or a customand/or hybrid connector made for this combined purpose).

The docking station 204 may include a host device connector 218. Thehost device connector 218 may interface with a connector of a hostdevice that is being used with the docking station 204. Via thisinterface, the host device connector 218 may electronically communicatedata and/or power to and/or from the docking station 204 to and/or fromthe connected host device. The host device connector 218 may be, e.g., aUSB-C connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3 connector, or any other connector(including custom and/or hybrid connectors) that may be used tointerface with a connector of the connected host device for thispurpose.

In some embodiments, the docking station 204 may include a wirelesstransceiver (internal, not shown in FIGS. 2 ). This wireless transceivermay communicate with a wireless transceiver of the host device that isbeing used with the docking station 204. This interface may communicatedata (e.g., graphical or other data) to and/or from the docking station204 to and/or from the connected host device. This interface may use,for example, a Wi-Fi™ protocol, a Bluetooth™ protocol, or any otherappropriate wireless protocol useable to transfer data in this fashion.

This (or another) wireless transceiver may also be used by the dockingstation 204 to connect to other wireless network devices (e.g., anetwork device such as a router) in order to receive independent data(e.g., data not from a host device) from a network. This data may beused to operate the display apparatus 202 (e.g., used to power on and/oroff the display apparatus 202, used to render a display on the displayscreen 214 of the display apparatus 202 (such as, e.g., weather, news,or status of another device on the network)). This data may be, e.g.,data received from an IoT system (such as, e.g., an IoT home automationsystem).

The docking station 204 may include one or more connectors (for example,connectors 217, 222-226, 236) for connecting the docking station 204 toone or more external objects. As discussed above, the docking station204 may communicate data and/or power to and/or from each of theseexternal objects to and/or from the host device connected to the dockingstation 204 via the host device connector 218 and/or the wirelesstransceiver of the docking station 204.

For example, the docking station 204 may include a power sourceconnector 217. The power source connector 217 may be connected to anexternal power source such as a battery, a connection to a utilitytransformer that is provided in a structure, or any other appropriateexternal power source. The connector to an external power source via thepower source connector 217 may provide the docking station 204 thenecessary power to function. Further, the docking station 204 may needto provide power to each of the display apparatus 202, one or moresecondary display apparatuses (not shown), a host device (not shown),and/or one or more external objects connected to the docking station204. This power (as supplied from the docking station 204 to these otherdevices) may be necessary for these other devices to operate, chargetheir internal batteries, and/or pass along power to external objects.The power to be supplied to these other devices by the docking station204 may be drawn by the docking station 204 from the external powersource via the power source connector 217. The power source connector217 may be, for example, a DC connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector,an IEC 420 C13 or C14 connector, or any other connector (includingcustom and/or hybrid connectors) capable of communicating power from anexternal power source to the docking station 204.

As another example, the docking station 204 may include USB connectors222, which may be individually used by the docking station 204 as one ofmany possible connectors (e.g., power connectors, communicationsconnectors, and/or data connectors). In some embodiments, one or more ofthe USB connectors 222 (or other data connectors) may be used to connectto input devices, such as mice and keyboards. Data from these inputdevices may travel through the docking station 204 to a connected hostdevice via the host device connector 218 and/or the wireless transceiverof the docking station 204. In other embodiments, one or more of the USBconnectors 222 (or other data connectors) may be used to connect outputdevices, such as speakers, secondary display screens, printers, or otheroutput devices. Data to these output devices may travel from a connectedhost device through the docking station 204 via the host deviceconnector 218 and/or the wireless transceiver of the docking station204.

As another example, the docking station 204 may include an RJ-45connector 224, which may be used by the docking station 204 as, forexample, a communications connector. In some embodiments, communicationsdata to and/or from a communications device (e.g., a router or othernetwork device) connected to the RJ-45 connector 224 (or othercommunications connector) may travel through the docking station 204 toand/or from a connected host device via the host device connector 218and/or the wireless transceiver of the docking station 204.

As another example, the docking station 204 may include an auxiliarygraphical data connector 226, which may be, for example, an HDMIconnector, a USB-C connector, or another data connector. In someembodiments, graphical data from a connected host device may travel fromthe host device via the host device connector 218 and/or the wirelesstransceiver of the docking station 204 through the docking station 204to a secondary display apparatus (not shown) or another secondarydisplay device that may be connected to the auxiliary graphical dataconnector 226. This graphical data may be used to render a display on adisplay screen of such secondary display apparatus or other secondarydisplay device. In embodiments where a secondary display device isconnected to the auxiliary graphical data connector 226 (or other dataconnector) in this fashion, the communication of graphical data throughthe docking station 204 to the secondary display device may be insteadof, or in addition to, the communication of graphical data to the directdata connector 212 of the display apparatus 202 previously described.

As another example, the docking station 204 may include an auxiliarypower out connector 236, which may be used by the docking station 204as, for example, a power connector for use with a secondary displayapparatus (not shown). The auxiliary power out connector 236 may be, forexample, a DC connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, an IEC 420 C13or C14 connector, or any other connector (including custom and/or hybridconnectors) capable of communicating power from the docking station 204to another device. In some embodiments, power from the docking station204 may travel to a secondary display apparatus that is connected to theauxiliary power out connector 236. This power may be provided to thesecondary display apparatus so that it may operate. This power may besourced by the docking station 204 from the power source connector 217.

The docking station 204 may include the direct power out connector 230.As described above, the direct power out connector 230 may interfacewith the direct power in connector 216 of the display apparatus 202 andmay deliver power to the direct power in connector 216 to operate thedisplay apparatus 102. The direct power out connector 230 may be, forexample, a DC connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, or any otherconnector (including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capable ofcommunicating power from the docking station 204 to the displayapparatus 202.

The docking station 204 may include the direct data connector 232. Asdescribed above, the direct data connector 232 may interface with thedirect data connector 212 of the display apparatus 202 to communicategraphical and/or other data from a host device connected to the dockingstation 204 to the display screen 214 of the display apparatus 202. Thedirect data connector 232 may be, for example, an HDMI connector, a DVIconnector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3 connector, orany other connector (including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capableof communicating graphical and/or other data from and/or to the dockingstation 204 and the display apparatus 202.

It is further contemplated that the features of the direct dataconnector 232 and the direct power out connector 230 may, in someembodiments, be combined into a single connector that is capable ofperforming both the data and power communication features described(e.g., a USB-C connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3 connector, and/or a customand/or hybrid connector made for this combined purpose).

The docking station 204 includes a set of rails 209A, 209B. Each rail209A, 209B may respectively engage with the rails 207A, 207B of thedocking station receptacle 206 of the display apparatus 202 as thedocking station 204 is slid down the back of the display apparatus 202and into the docking station receptacle 206. As can be seen whencompared to analogous connectors from FIGS. 1A-1B, the positions of thedirect power in connector 216 and the direct data connector 212 of thedocking station receptacle 206 and the direct power out connector 230and the direct data connector 232 of the docking station 204 have beenmodified to account for the sliding nature of the embodiment of FIG. 2A(as opposed to, e.g., the insertion nature of the embodiment of FIG.1A).

Various connectors of the docking station 204 (e.g., the host deviceconnector 218, the auxiliary graphical data connector 226, and/or theauxiliary power out connector 236) may be placed at the end of cables(e.g., cables 220, 228, 238) integrated into the docking station 204 inorder to facilitate simplicity in connecting the connector to itsassociated external object/host device. Other embodiments without suchcables (e.g., where a fully detachable cable is separately provided tointerface with the connector of the docking station 204 and a connectoron the associated external object/host device, and/or where theassociated external object/host device is connected directly to thedocking station 204 via a connector integrated into the body of thedocking station 204) are also contemplated.

FIG. 2B illustrates a back view of the docking station 204. The dockingstation 204 may include one or more attachment devices 234. As describedabove, the attachment devices 234 may interact with the attachmentdevices 208 of the docking station 204 in order to removably attach thedocking station 204 to the docking station receptacle 206. In theembodiment of FIG. 2B, the attachment devices 234 may be metalattachment devices.

The docking station 204 may include the host device connector 218 (andassociated circuitry) and/or the wireless protocol compatibilitiesnecessary to connect with some types of host devices for thecommunication of data and/or power to and/or from that type of hostdevice, while another docking station may include a different hostdevice connector (and perhaps different associated circuitry) and/or thewireless protocol compatibilities to connect with other types of hostdevices for the communication of data and/or power to and/or from thosetypes of host devices. It is anticipated that a user of the system 200may be able to leverage the removably attachable nature of the dockingstations herein described (e.g., the docking station 204) to switchbetween two or more such docking stations that are configured to workwith the display apparatus 202 as needed, depending on current device(host or otherwise) compatibility requirements.

The docking station 204 may include one or more processors and/orcontrollers (not shown) having instructions thereon to implement one ormore features of the docking station 204 as described herein. Similarly,the display apparatus 202 may include one or more processors and/orcontrollers (not shown) having instructions thereon to implement one ormore features of the display apparatus 202 as described herein. Suchinstructions may be sourced from a non-transitory computer-readablemedium (not shown) on or associated with these processors and/orcontrollers.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate components of a system 300 for docking with ahost device, according to an embodiment. FIG. 3A illustrates a displayapparatus 302 and a docking station 304.

The display apparatus 302 may include a docking station receptacle 306.The docking station receptacle 306 may be shaped to receive the dockingstation 304 when the docking station 304 is slid across the back of thedisplay apparatus 302. The docking station 304 may be one of manypossible docking stations (with compatibility with many possible hostdevices) that are useable with the display apparatus 302.

The docking station receptacle 306 may include one or more attachmentdevices 308 that may interact with attachment devices of the dockingstation 304 (not shown in FIG. 3A) to removably attach the dockingstation 304 in place once the docking station 304 has been placed intothe docking station receptacle 306. Examples of possible attachmentdevices that may be used between the docking station 304 and the dockingstation receptacle 306 include magnet features, hook and catch features,slotted peg and catch features, or any other attachment device 108appropriate for securing the docking station 304 to the docking stationreceptacle 306. One, two, three, four, or any other number of theseattachment devices may be used. In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, theattachment devices 308 are catch attachment devices appropriate toaccept a hook.

The docking station 304 may include a docking station release mechanism310. The docking station release mechanism 310 may release the dockingstation 304 from the docking station receptacle 306 by disengaging theattachment between the attachment devices 308 and any attachment devicesof the docking station 304. For example, the docking station releasemechanism 310 may disengage a magnetic connection between a magnetassociated with an attachment device 308 and a piece of metal associatedwith an attachment device of the docking station 304. As anotherexample, the docking station release mechanism 310 may disengage a hookassociated with an attachment device of the docking station 304 from,for example, a catch associated with an attachment device 308 thedocking station 304. The docking station release mechanism 310 may be,for example, a button or a slider. It is contemplated that in someembodiments the docking station release mechanism 310 may instead beincluded on the display apparatus 302.

The docking station receptacle 306 may include a combined directdata/power in connector 312. The combined direct data/power in connector312 may be configured to interface with a combined direct data/power outconnector 332 of the docking station 304 directly (without the use of aseparate cable). This interface may allow the display apparatus 302 toreceive and use graphical and/or other data from the docking station304. For example, graphical data may be communicated to the dockingstation 304 by a host device connected to the docking station 304 andfrom there communicated via this interface to the display apparatus 302and used to render a display on a display screen 314 of the displayapparatus 302. The interface between the combined direct data/power inconnector 312 and the combined direct data/power out connector 332 ofthe docking station 304 may also allow the display apparatus 302 to senddata to the docking station 304.

The interface between the combined direct data/power in connector 312and the combined direct data/power out connector 332 may also allow thedocking station 304 to provide the display apparatus 302 with the powernecessary to operate.

The combined direct data/power in connector 312 may be, for example, anHDMI connector, a DVI connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, aThunderbolt™ 3 connector, or any other connector (including customand/or hybrid connectors) capable of communicating power and graphicaland/or other data from the docking station 304 for use with the displayapparatus 302. In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, the combined directdata/power in connector 312 is a custom connector.

Relatedly, the docking station 304 may include a combined directdata/power out connector 332. As described above, the combined directdata/power out connector 332 may interface with the combined directdata/power in connector 312 of the display apparatus 302 and may deliverpower to the combined direct data/power in connector 312 to operate thedisplay apparatus 302.

The interface between the combined direct data/power out connector 332and the combined direct data/power in connector 312 of the displayapparatus 302 may also allow the docking station 304 to communicategraphical and/or other data from a host device connected to the dockingstation 304 to the display screen 314 of the display apparatus 302(and/or other data transfers between the docking station 304 and thedisplay apparatus 302) in the manner described above.

The combined direct data/power out connector 332 may be, for example, anHDMI connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3connector, or any other connector (including custom and/or hybridconnectors) capable of communicating power and graphical and/or otherdata from the docking station 304 for use with the display apparatus302. In the embodiment of FIG. 3B, the combined direct data/power outconnector 332 is a custom connector.

Each of the display apparatus 302 and/or the docking station 304 mayinclude one or more mounting features 340. The mounting features 340 maybe used to attach a mount to the display apparatus 302 and/or thedocking station 304 such that one or both of these can be mounted. Inthe embodiment of FIG. 3A, three mounting features 340 are present onthe display apparatus 302 and one mounting feature 340 is present on thedocking station 304. A subset of the mounting features 340 may be placedon each of the display apparatus 302 and the docking station 304 suchthat when the docking station 304 is placed in the docking stationreceptacle 306 to interface with the display apparatus 302 in the mannerdescribed herein, the mounting features 340 are aligned with themounting features of a mount (e.g., are placed such that they arecompatible/consistent with mounting features on a mount provided by themanufacturer of the display apparatus 302 and/or the docking station304, and/or such that they are compatible/consistent with mountingfeatures on another mount (e.g., a Flat Display Mounting Interface(FDMI) compatible mount (also known colloquially as a Video ElectronicsStandards Association (VESA) mount))).

By placing a subset of the mounting features 340 on each of the displayapparatus 302 and the docking station 304, it may be that theinstallation of a mount that uses one or more of the mounting features340 from each of the display apparatus 302 and the docking station 304may act to secure the docking station 304 in the docking stationreceptacle 306 of the display apparatus 302 (as shown in FIG. 3C). WhileFIGS. 3A-3C show (in aggregate) three mounting features 340 on thedisplay apparatus 302, this is not strictly necessary; in variousembodiments, a single mounting feature 340 on each of the displayapparatus 302 and the docking station 304 is sufficient to secure thedocking station 304 in the docking station receptacle 306 of the displayapparatus 302. Mounting features 340 may be, e.g., holes (e.g., taperedholes), tabs, slots, slotted posts, hooks, screws, catches, or any otherfeature sufficient to interface with mounting features found on a mount.In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, the mounting features 340 are illustratedas holes.

The display apparatus 302 may further include an auxiliary power inconnector 346. The auxiliary power in connector 346 may be capable ofconnecting to an external power source to receive the power to operatethe display apparatus 302. The use of an auxiliary power in connector isdescribed in more detail below.

The display apparatus 302 may further include a graphical data connector348 (illustrated here as an HDMI port, but other types consistent withthe disclosure herein are contemplated) that can be used to communicategraphical data to the display apparatus 302 in a manner other than viathe combined direct data/power in connector 312 as describe herein.

It may be that in some instances, the display apparatus 302 may be ableto operate its display screen 314 via power received at the auxiliarypower in connector 346 and/or graphical data received at the graphicaldata connector 348 in cases where the docking station 304 is notpresent.

FIG. 3B illustrates a perspective view of the docking station 304. Thedocking station 304 may include a host device connector 318. The hostdevice connector 318 may interface with a connector of a host devicethat is being used with the docking station 304. Via this interface, thehost device connector 318 may electronically communicate data and/orpower to and/or from the docking station 204 to and/or from theconnected host device. The host device connector 318 may be, e.g., aUSB-C connector, a Thunderbolt™ 3 connector, or any other connector(including custom and/or hybrid connectors) that may be used tointerface with a connector of the connected host device for thispurpose. In the embodiment of FIG. 3B, the host device connector 318 isillustrated as a USB-C connector.

In some embodiments, the docking station 304 may include a wirelesstransceiver (internal, not shown in FIG. 3B). This wireless transceivermay communicate with a wireless transceiver of the host device that isbeing used with the docking station 304. Via this interface, thewireless transceiver may electronically communicate data (e.g.,graphical or other data) to and/or from the docking station 304 toand/or from the connected host device. This interface may use, forexample, a Wi-Fi™ protocol, a Bluetooth™ protocol, or any otherappropriate wireless protocol useable to transfer data in this fashion.

This (or another) wireless transceiver may also be used by the dockingstation 304 to connect to other wireless network devices (e.g., anetwork device such as a router) in order to receive independent data(e.g., data not from a host device) from a network. This data may beused to operate the display apparatus 302 (e.g., used to power on and/oroff the display apparatus 302, used to render a display on the displayscreen 314 of the display apparatus 302 (such as, e.g., weather, news,or status of another device on the network)). This data may be, e.g.,data received from an IoT system (such as, e.g., an IoT home automationsystem).

The docking station 304 may include one or more connectors (for example,connectors 317, 322-328, 336) for connecting the docking station 304 toone or more external objects. As discussed above, the docking station304 may communicate data and/or power to and/or from each of theseexternal objects to and/or from the host device connected to the dockingstation 304 via the host device connector 318 and/or the wirelesstransceiver of the docking station 304.

For example, the docking station 304 may include a power sourceconnector 317. The power source connector 317 may be connected to anexternal power source such as a battery, a connection to a utilitytransformer that is provided in a structure, or any other appropriateexternal power source. The connector to an external power source via thepower source connector 317 may provide the docking station 304 thenecessary power to function. Further, the docking station 304 may needto provide power to each of the display apparatus 302, one or moresecondary display apparatuses (not shown), a host device (not shown),and/or one or more external objects (not shown) connected to the dockingstation 304. This power (as supplied from the docking station 304 tothese other devices) may be necessary for these other devices tooperate, charge their internal batteries, and/or pass along power toexternal objects. The power to be supplied to these other devices by thedocking station 304 may be drawn by the docking station 304 from theexternal power source via the power source connector 317. The powersource connector 317 may be, for example, a DC connector, a USB (e.g.,USB-C) connector, an IEC 420 C13 or C14 connector, or any otherconnector (including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capable ofcommunicating power from an external power source to the docking station304. In the embodiment of FIG. 3B, the power source connector 317 isillustrated as a DC connector.

As another example, the docking station 304 may include one or more USBconnectors 322, which may be individually used by the docking station304 as one of many possible connectors (e.g., power connectors,communications connectors, and/or data connectors). In some embodiments,one or more of the USB connectors 322 (or other data connectors) may beused to connect to input devices, such as mice and keyboards. Data fromthese input devices may travel through the docking station 304 to aconnected host device via the host device connector 318 and/or thewireless transceiver of the docking station 304. In other embodiments,one or more of the USB connectors 322 (or other data connectors) may beused to connect output devices, such as speakers, secondary displayscreens, printers, or other output devices. Data to these output devicesmay travel from a connected host device through the docking station 304via the host device connector 318 and/or the wireless transceiver of thedocking station 304.

As another example, the docking station 304 may include an RJ-45connector 324, which may be used by the docking station 304 as, forexample, a communications connector. In some embodiments, communicationsdata to and/or from a communications device (e.g., a router or othernetwork device) connected to the RJ-45 connector 324 (or othercommunications connector) may travel through the docking station 304 toand/or from a connected host device via the host device connector 318and/or the wireless transceiver of the docking station 304.

As another example, the docking station 304 may include an external HDMIconnector 326 and/or one or more DisplayPort™ connectors 328, each ofwhich may be used by the docking station 304 as, for example, auxiliarygraphical data connector(s). In some embodiments, graphical data from aconnected host device may travel from the host device via the hostdevice connector 318 and/or the wireless transceiver of the dockingstation 304 through the docking station 304 to a secondary displayapparatus (not shown) or another secondary display device that may beconnected to any of the external HDMI connector 326 or the DisplayPort™connectors 328. This graphical data may be used to render a display on adisplay screen of such secondary display apparatus or other secondarydisplay device. In embodiments where a secondary display device isconnected to the external HDMI connector 326 or a DisplayPort™ connector328 (or other data connector) in this fashion, the communication ofgraphical data through the docking station 304 to the secondary displaydevice may be instead of, or in addition to, the communication ofgraphical data to the combined direct data/power in connector 312 of thedisplay apparatus 302 previously described.

As another example, the docking station 304 may include an auxiliarypower out connector 336, which may be used by the docking station 304as, for example, a power connector for use with a secondary displayapparatus (not shown). The auxiliary power out connector 336 may be, forexample, a DC connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, an IEC 420 C13or C14 connector, or any other connector (including custom and/or hybridconnectors) capable of communicating power from the docking station 304to another device. In some embodiments, power from the docking station304 may travel to a secondary display apparatus that is connected to theauxiliary power out connector 336. This power may be provided to thesecondary display apparatus so that it may operate. This power may besourced by the docking station 304 from the power source connector 317.In the embodiment of FIG. 3B, the power out connector 336 is illustratedas a DC connector.

The docking station 304 may include one or more attachment devices 334.As described above, the attachment devices 334 may interact with theattachment devices 308 of the docking station receptacle 306 of FIG. 3Ain order to removably attach the docking station 304 to the dockingstation receptacle 306. In the embodiment of FIG. 3B, the hookattachment devices 334 are illustrated as hook features corresponding tothe catch attachment devices 308 described above in relation to FIG. 3A.

The docking station 304 may include the host device connector 318 (andassociated circuitry) and/or the wireless protocol compatibilitiesnecessary to connect with some types of host devices for thecommunication of data and/or power to and/or from that type of hostdevice, while another docking station may include a different hostdevice connector (and perhaps different associated circuitry) and/or thewireless protocol compatibilities to connect with other types of hostdevices for the communication of data and/or power to and/or from thosetypes of host devices. It is anticipated that a user of the system 300may be able to leverage the removably attachable nature of the dockingstations herein described (e.g., the docking station 304) to switchbetween two or more such docking stations that are configured to workwith the display apparatus 302 as needed, depending on current device(host or otherwise) compatibility requirements.

The docking station 304 may include one or more processors and/orcontrollers (not shown) having instructions thereon to implement one ormore features of the docking station 304 as described herein. Similarly,the display apparatus 302 may include one or more processors and/orcontrollers (not shown) having instructions thereon to implement one ormore features of the display apparatus 302 as described herein. Suchinstructions may be sourced from a non-transitory computer-readablemedium (not shown) on or associated with these processors and/orcontrollers.

FIG. 3C illustrates the docking station 304 having been placed in thedocking station receptacle 306 of the display apparatus 302, with thecombined display apparatus 302 and docking station 304 having beenattached to a mount 342. The mount 342 may be, e.g., a VESA mount. Asillustrated, the mount may be designed such that it does not interferewith access by one or more cables to the various connectors (describedabove) of the docking station 304 when in use.

The mount 342 includes mounting features 344 that are interfaced withthe mounting features 340 showing (by way of example and not by way oflimitation, as described above) one mounting feature 344 connected toone mounting feature 340 present on the docking station 304 and threemounting features 344 connected to three mounting features 340 presenton the display apparatus 302. Mounting features 344 may be screws,holes, tabs, slots, slotted posts, hooks, or any other featuresufficient to interface with mounting features as those features havebeen described above. In the embodiment of FIG. 3C, the mountingfeatures 344 are illustrated as screws. As illustrated, the installationof the mount 342 to the combined display apparatus 302 and dockingstation 304 has acted to further secure the docking station 304 in thedocking station receptacle 306 (see FIG. 3A) of the display apparatus302 in the manner described above.

FIG. 4 illustrates a docking station 400 with a wireless transceiver 402that is removable from a body 404 of the docking station 400, accordingto an embodiment. The wireless transceiver 402 may include a transceiverdata/power in connector 406 that interfaces with a transceiverdata/power out connector 408 on the body 404 of the docking station 400.The wireless transceiver 402 may draw data and/or power from thetransceiver data/power out connector 408 through the transceiverdata/power in connector 406. This data and/or power may be sourced atthe docking station 400 (e.g., via one or more of connectors of thedocking station 400, analogously to embodiments herein described) andfrom there provided to the wireless transceiver 402 to be sent to, forexample, a host device and/or other wireless network device(s). Further,the wireless transceiver 402 may provide received data (e.g., datareceived at the wireless transceiver 402 from the host device and/orfrom other wireless network device(s), as described herein) for use atthe docking station 400.

The wireless transceiver 402 may further include an external antenna410. The external antenna 410 may be used to wirelessly communicatewireless signals to and/or from a host device and/or other wirelessnetwork device(s) in the manner described herein. Use of the externalantenna 410 may result in the reception of a wireless signal that ismore powerful than, or different than, e.g., a reception of a signal ata wireless transceiver (whether integrated or removable) that does notuse an external antenna. While the antenna 410 has been illustrated onthe wireless transceiver 402 (which is removable), it is contemplatedthat an external antenna may be used with integrated (rather thanremovable) wireless transceivers of docking stations having integratedwireless transceivers.

It may be that there are a plurality of wireless transceivers (e.g., thewireless transceiver 402, and other wireless transceivers) which areremovable and are each configured to removably interface with thedocking station 400 in the manner described. It may be possible toswitch one wireless transceiver (e.g., the wireless transceiver 402) foranother wireless transceiver (or vice versa) in order to use a wirelesstransceiver at the docking station 400 that is compatible with aparticular host device, and/or that supports one or more desiredwireless standards that allow for the wireless communications(including, e.g., IoT communications) that are described herein.

While the docking station 400 has been illustrated as similar in styleto the docking station 304 of FIGS. 3A-3C, it is contemplated that anydocking station discussed herein (e.g., the docking stations 104 ofFIGS. 1A-1B and 204 of FIGS. 2A-2B) may also include a removablewireless transceiver as described herein.

It is contemplated that other embodiments of docking stations (e.g., thedocking stations described in relation to FIGS. 1-3 ) may have internal(non-removable) wireless transceivers. Other docking stations may notinclude a wireless transceiver at all. It is contemplated that any typeof docking station (having either no wireless transceiver, having anintegrated wireless transceiver, or having a removable wirelesstransceiver) with any type of antenna(s) (no antennas, one or moreinternal antenna(s), one or more external antenna(s)) may be used inembodiments discussed herein.

FIG. 5 illustrates components of a system 500 for docking with a hostdevice, according to an embodiment. It is contemplated that a displayapparatus of the present disclosure may or may not include a neck and/ora base incorporated into the display apparatus. For example, it is notedthat the display apparatuses 102 of FIG. 1A and 202 of FIG. 2A have beenillustrated with a neck and a base. In FIG. 5 , a display apparatus 502is being used with a docking station 504. The docking station 504 may besimilar to the docking station 304 of FIGS. 3B and 3C. Alternatively,another docking station described herein (such as, e.g., the dockingstation 400 of FIG. 4 , with the removable wireless transceiver and anexternal antenna, or other docking station(s) described herein) may beused. The display apparatus 502 may be similar to the display apparatus302 of FIGS. 3A and 3C, but may further include one or more of a neck506 and/or a base 508.

The neck 506 and/or the base 508 of the display apparatus 502 mayinclude any part of the components necessary for the display apparatus502 to function, as described herein. For example, the base 508 has beenillustrated with the graphical data port 510 and the auxiliary power inport 512 (which may serve the same purpose for the display apparatus 502as, e.g., the graphical data connector 348 and the auxiliary power inconnector 346 described above in relation to the display apparatus 302of FIG. 3A). Any other component (including internal components) of thedisplay apparatus 502 may be included in either of the neck or the baseof the display apparatus when such neck and/or base are present.

FIG. 6 illustrates components of a system 600 for docking with a hostdevice, according to an embodiment. It is contemplated that for someembodiments of a display apparatus, a docking station may interface witha docking station receptacle that is in a neck portion of the displayapparatus. For example, the docking station 604 may interface with adocking station receptacle 606 that is in the neck 608 of the displayapparatus 602, in the manner illustrated. The docking station 604 may besimilar to the docking station 304 of FIGS. 3B and 3C. Alternatively,other docking station(s) described herein (such as, e.g., the dockingstation 400 of FIG. 4 , with the removable wireless transceiver and anexternal antenna) may be used.

FIG. 7 illustrates components of a system 700 for docking with a hostdevice, according to an embodiment. It is contemplated that for someembodiments of a display apparatus, a docking station may interface witha docking station receptacle that is in a base portion of the displayapparatus. For example, the docking station 704 may interface with adocking station receptacle 706 that is in the base 708 of the displayapparatus 702, in the manner illustrated. The docking station 704 may besimilar to the docking station 304 of FIGS. 3B and 3C. Alternatively,other docking station(s) described herein (such as, e.g., the dockingstation 400 of FIG. 4 , with the removable wireless transceiver and anexternal antenna) may be used.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a system 800 for docking with a host device808, according to an embodiment. The system 800 further includes aprimary display apparatus 802, a docking station 804, an external powersource 806, and a secondary display apparatus 810. In the system 800,the docking station 804 may have been removably attached to the primarydisplay apparatus 802 at a docking station receptacle (not illustrated)of the primary display apparatus 802, in like manner to that describedabove in relation to FIGS. 1A-1B and/or FIGS. 2A-2B.

The external power source 806 may be connected to the docking station804. The external power source 806 may be, for example, a battery, aconnection to a utility transformer via a wall outlet, or any otherappropriate external power source. The docking station 804 may takepower directly from the external power source 806 in order to operate.It may further provide at least some of the power from the externalpower source 806 to the primary display apparatus 802 to which it hasbeen attached (e.g., via the interface between a direct power inconnector of the primary display apparatus 802 and a direct power outconnector of the docking station 804 in like manner to that describedabove in relation to FIGS. 1A-1B and/or FIGS. 2A-2B). The primarydisplay apparatus 802 may use power supplied via the docking station 804in this way to operate.

In some embodiments, at least some of the power received at the dockingstation 804 from the external power source 806 may be communicated tothe host device 808 connected to the docking station 804. This power maybe used by the host device 808 to operate, charge a battery of the hostdevice 808, power external objects that are connected directly to anyconnector(s) of the host device 808, and/or for any other purpose forwhich the host device 808 may require power. This power may be providedfrom the docking station 804 to the host device 808 via a host deviceconnector (e.g., the host device connectors 118, 218 described inrelation to FIG. 1A and FIG. 2A above). The host device 808 may providegraphical data (and/or other data) via the host device connector and/orthe wireless transceiver of the docking station 804 for communication toand use with the primary display apparatus 802 and/or any externalobjects (such as input and/or output devices) connected to the dockingstation 804.

The system 800 further includes the secondary display apparatus 810. Thesecondary display apparatus 810 may be connected to, for example, aconnector (such as an external HDMI connector) of the docking station804. Similarly to embodiments discussed above, communication ofgraphical data from the host device 808 to the secondary displayapparatus 810 may be instead of, or in addition to, the communication ofgraphical data to the direct data connector of the primary displayapparatus 802. In some embodiments, at least some of the power receivedat the docking station 804 from the external power source 806 may becommunicated to the secondary display apparatus 810 connected to thedocking station 804. This power may be used by the secondary displayapparatus 810 to operate and/or for any other purpose for which thesecondary display apparatus 810 may require power. This power may beprovided from the docking station 804 to the host device 808 via anauxiliary power out connector (e.g., the auxiliary power out connectors136, 236 described in relation to FIG. 1A and/or FIG. 2A above). Theseauxiliary power out connectors may be connected to a direct power inconnector located at a docking station receptacle of the secondarydisplay apparatus 810 or alternatively may be connected to an auxiliarypower in connector of the secondary display apparatus 810 (that is not adirect power in connector of a docking station receptacle of thesecondary display apparatus 810).

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a system 900 for docking with a host device956, according to an embodiment. The system 900 includes a primarydisplay apparatus 902, a docking station 904, and a secondary displayapparatus 980. In the embodiment of FIG. 9 , the docking station 904 mayhave been removably attached (as represented by box 903) to the primarydisplay apparatus 902 at a docking station receptacle 905 of the primarydisplay apparatus 902, in like manner to that described above inrelation to, e.g., FIGS. 1A-1B, 2A-2B, 3A-3C, 5, 6, 7 and/or FIG. 8 (andthis should be understood even though, merely for purposes ofillustration, the docking station 904 has been drawn apart from, andsimilarly sized to, the display apparatuses 902 and 980).

The primary display apparatus 902 may include a direct data connector906. The direct data connector 906 of the primary display apparatus 902may be located in, for example, the docking station receptacle 905 ofthe primary display apparatus 902. The direct data connector 906 may beconfigured to interface with and communicate data to and/or from adirect data connector 954 of the docking station 904, in the mannerdescribed above. The direct data connector 906 of the primary displayapparatus 902 and/or the direct data connector 954 of the dockingstation 904 may be, for example, HDMI connectors, USB connectors, or anyother appropriate connectors as described above. The data received atthe primary display apparatus 902 via the direct data connector 954 maybe graphical and/or other data communicated by the docking station 904from the host device 956.

The primary display apparatus 902 may include a direct power inconnector 908. The direct power in connector 908 may be located in, forexample, the docking station receptacle 905 of the primary displayapparatus 902. The direct power in connector 908 may be configured tointerface with and receive power from a direct power out connector 952of the docking station 904. The direct power in connector 908 and thedirect power out connector 952 may be, for example, DC connectors, USB-Cconnectors, or any other appropriate connector as explained above. Thepower received at the primary display apparatus 902 via the direct powerin connector 908 may be used to operate the primary display apparatus902.

The direct data connector 906 and the direct power in connector 908 may,in some embodiments, be combined into a single combined directdata/power in connector (e.g., the combined direct data/power inconnector 312 of FIG. 3A) as described above. Further, the direct dataconnector 954 and the direct power out connector 952 may, in someembodiments, be combined into a single combined direct data/power outconnector (e.g., the combined direct data/power out connector 332 ofFIGS. 3A-3B) as described above.

The primary display apparatus 902 may also include a video controller914. The video controller 914 may be able to receive graphical datafrom, for example, the direct data connector 906. Further, the videocontroller 914 may receive graphical data (either alternatively oradditionally) from, for example, an HDMI connector 918 and/or a VideoGraphics Array (VGA) connector 920 of the primary display apparatus 902(which may not be located in the docking station receptacle 905 of theprimary display apparatus 902). Other types of connectors (such as,e.g., DVI connectors) are also contemplated to provide graphical data tothe video controller 914 instead of, or in addition to, the direct dataconnector 906 of the docking station receptacle 905. The videocontroller 914 may then select one or more of the graphical datareceived from the direct data connector 906, the HDMI connector 918, theVGA connector 920, and/or any other such connector for use to render adisplay on a display screen 922 of the primary display apparatus 902.

The primary display apparatus 902 may also include an audio controller916. The audio controller 916 may be able to receive audio data from,for example, the direct data connector 906. Further, the audiocontroller 916 may receive audio data (either alternatively oradditionally) from, for example, the HDMI connector 918 and/or a stereoconnector 924 (which may not be located in the docking stationreceptacle 905 of the primary display apparatus 902). Other types ofconnectors (such as, e.g., optical audio connectors) are alsocontemplated to provide audio data to the audio controller 916 insteadof or in addition to the direct data connector 906 of the dockingstation receptacle 905. The audio controller 916 may then select one ormore of the audio data received from the direct data connector 906 ofthe docking station receptacle 905, the HDMI connector 918, and/or thestereo connector 924 for reproduction on speakers 926 of the primarydisplay apparatus 902.

While the primary display apparatus 902 has been illustrated as beingremovably attached 903 with the docking station 904, it should beunderstood that the primary display apparatus 902 may be used to displaydata and perform other functions without being removably attached 903 tothe docking station 904 via the use of one or more of, for example, theauxiliary power in connector 907, the HDMI connector 918 and/or the VGAconnector 920, the stereo connector 924, and/or another connector(s)present on the primary display apparatus 902.

The primary display apparatus 902 may further include control buttons928. The control buttons 928 may include a power button for turning theprimary display apparatus 902 on and off. This may also turn on and offany docking station attached to the primary display apparatus 902 (e.g.,the docking station 904) via signal(s) sent to the docking station 904via the direct data connector 906. The control buttons 928 may includeone or more volume buttons for adjusting the volume of the speakers 926of the primary display apparatus 902. The control buttons 928 mayfurther include a reset button to reset the primary display apparatus902 (which may have the effect of resetting any docking station attachedto the primary display apparatus 902 (e.g., the docking station 904) viasignal(s) sent to the docking station via the direct data connector906).

The primary display apparatus 902 may include a power controller 912.The power controller 912 may be responsible for distributing power tothe rest of the primary display apparatus 902 in order to operate theprimary display apparatus 902. This power may be received from, forexample, the docking station 904 via the interface between the directpower out connector 952 of the docking station 904 and the direct powerin connector 908 of the primary display apparatus 902, in the mannerdescribed above.

Alternatively, the power controller 912 may receive its power from anauxiliary power in connector 907. The auxiliary power in connector 907may be capable of connecting to an external power source 909 to receivethe power to operate the primary display apparatus 902. The externalpower source 909 may be, for example, a battery, a connection (whetherdirect or through intermediate device(s)) to a utility transformer, orany other appropriate external power source. The external power source909 may include, for example, a DC connector, a USB (e.g., USB-C)connector, an IEC 420 C13 or C14 connector, or any other connector(including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capable of communicatingpower from the external power source 909 to another device. Theauxiliary power in connector 907 may be any connector (including customand/or hybrid connectors) capable of connecting to a connector on theexternal power source 909. A connection between the auxiliary power inconnector 907 and the external power source 909 may be useful to providepower to the primary display apparatus 902 in cases where, for example,the docking station 904 is not attached to the primary display apparatus902 or is otherwise not providing power to the primary display apparatus902 at the direct power in connector 908 in the manner described above.

Any of the power controller 912, the video controller 914, and/or theaudio controller 916, or another processor/controller 917 of the primarydisplay apparatus 902 may have instructions thereon to implement one ormore features of the primary display apparatus 902 consistent withembodiments of primary display apparatuses discussed herein. Suchinstructions may be sourced from a non-transitory computer-readablemedium (not shown) on or associated with these processors and/orcontrollers.

As will be described in more detail below, the auxiliary power inconnector of a display apparatus (such as the auxiliary power inconnector 907) may alternatively receive power from an auxiliary powerout connector of a docking station (such as an auxiliary power outconnector 978 of the docking station 904).

The docking station 904 may include a power source connector 911. Thepower source connector 911 may receive power from the external powersource 909. The power source connector 911 may be any connector(including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capable of connecting to aconnector on the external power source 909. The power provided may becommunicated to a power module 964 of the docking station 904 fordistribution to the rest of the docking station 904 in order to operatethe docking station 904. There may be sufficient remaining power for thedocking station 904 to further communicate power to the primary displayapparatus 902 via the direct power out connector 952 in the matterdescribed herein. Additionally (or alternatively), there may besufficient remaining power to be communicated to, for example, the hostdevice 956 in the manner described herein. Additionally (oralternatively), there may be sufficient remaining power to becommunicated to, for example, the auxiliary power out connector 978, inorder to provide power to a secondary display apparatus (e.g., thesecondary display apparatus 980) for it to operate. There may also besufficient power remaining to communicate power (perhaps indirectly) toexternal objects connected to other connectors of the docking station904 (e.g., USB device(s) 960 connected to USB connector(s) 958), or forany other purpose for which power may be used by the docking station904.

The docking station 904 may further include a host device connector 962.The host device connector 962 may connect the docking station 904 to thehost device 956. The host device connector 962 may communicate powerfrom the power module 964 to the host device 956. The host deviceconnector 962 may further transmit data to and/or from the host device956 to and/or from a controller/multiplexer 966. The host deviceconnector 962 may be, in some embodiments, a Thunderbolt™ 3/USB-Cconnector.

The docking station 904 may further include a wireless transceiver 979.This wireless transceiver 979 may communicate with a wirelesstransceiver of the host device 956. This interface may communicate data(e.g., graphical or other data) to and/or from the docking station 904to and/or from the host device 956. This interface may use, for example,a Wi-Fi™ protocol, a Bluetooth™ protocol, or any other appropriatewireless protocol useable to transfer data in this fashion. The data maybe provided additionally (or alternatively) to data being provided viathe host device connector 962.

The wireless transceiver 979 may also be used by the docking station 904to connect to other wireless network devices (e.g., a network devicesuch as a router) in order to receive independent data (e.g., data notfrom the host device 956) from a network. This data may be used tooperate the primary display apparatus 902 (e.g., used to power on and/oroff the primary display apparatus 902, used to render a display on thedisplay screen of 922 of the primary display apparatus 902 (such as,e.g., weather, news, or status of another device on the network)). Thisdata may be, e.g., data received from an IoT system (such as, e.g., anIoT home automation system). It is further contemplated that this datamay be used to display settings corresponding to one or more networkeddevices (e.g., an IoT device). It is also contemplated that the primarydisplay apparatus 902 may be used to send commands to networked devicesmodifying these settings or performing other control tasks (e.g., via acontrol button 928 on the primary display apparatus 902, and/or viainteraction with a display screen 922 of the primary display apparatus902 that is a touch screen).

For example, the docking station 904 may receive an instruction via thewireless transceiver 979 to communicate with a control panel of theprimary display apparatus 902 (which may be a software engine thatexists in one or more of the power controller 912, the video controller914, the audio controller 916, and/or another processor/controller 917of the primary display apparatus 902). In this way, an administrator ofthe system 900 (through a separate network device in communication withthe wireless transceiver 979) may have access to, e.g., informationabout the usage (power usage, time of use, time of day of usagestatistics, etc.) of the primary display apparatus 902 (that is beingtracked by, e.g., the control panel of the primary display apparatus).This communication with a control panel of the primary display apparatus902 may also allow an administrator of the system 900 to set variouscontrol features (e.g., time allowed for use, time of day allowed foruse, maximum allowed power use, etc.) to control the functionality ofthe primary display apparatus 902.

The controller/multiplexer 966 may receive power from the power module964. The controller/multiplexer 966 may then communicate this power to,for example, a USB hub 968. The controller/multiplexer 966 may also senddata (e.g., graphical data provided from the host device 956) to a videosplitter 970. The controller/multiplexer 966 may also send and/orreceive data (e.g., graphical data) to and/or from the host deviceconnector 962, the USB hub 968, and/or the wireless transceiver 979which may or may not be removeable 981 in the manner described herein.The controller/multiplexer 966 may be, in some embodiments, aThunderbolt™ 3/USB-C controller/multiplexer.

The controller/multiplexer 966 or another processor/controller 917 ofthe docking station 904 may have instructions thereon to implement oneor more other features of the docking station 904 consistent withembodiments of docking stations discussed herein. Such instructions maybe sourced from a non-transitory computer-readable medium (not shown) onor associated with these processors and/or controllers.

The USB hub 968 may be connected to the USB connector(s) 958, and may beresponsible for routing data and/or power between the USB connector(s)958, an RJ-45 connector 972, and the controller/multiplexer 966. Asdescribed above, data at the USB connector(s) 958 may be provided byand/or sent to the USB device(s) 960. Further, power to the USBdevice(s) 960 may be provided by the USB hub 968. Data from the RJ-45connector(s) 972 may be provided by a network device 974 connected tothe RJ-45 connector 972.

The video splitter 970 may receive data (including graphical data) fromthe controller/multiplexer 966. This graphical data may have originatedfrom, for example, the host device 956 in the manner described herein.The video splitter 970 may provide all or a portion of receivedgraphical data to the direct data connector 954 of the docking station904. This graphical data may be communicated, eventually, to the primarydisplay apparatus 902 to be used to render a display on the displayscreen 922 in the manner described herein. The video splitter 970 mayprovide (alternatively or additionally) all or a portion of receivedgraphical data to an auxiliary graphical data connector 976 of thedocking station 904. From the auxiliary graphical data connector 976,that graphical data may then be communicated to the secondary displayapparatus 980.

Although FIG. 9 has been illustrated with a primary display apparatus902 and a secondary display apparatus 980, it is contemplated the morethan two display apparatuses may be used at once with the dockingstation 904. Accordingly, it is contemplated that in some embodiments,the video splitter 970 of the docking station 904 may provide all or aportion of received graphical data to a plurality of auxiliary graphicaldata connectors (including the auxiliary graphical data connector 976).In these cases, each auxiliary graphical data connector beyond theauxiliary graphical data connector 976 may provide graphical data fromthe docking station 904 to other display apparatuses which are notillustrated.

The docking station 904 may further include the auxiliary power outconnector 978. This auxiliary power out connector 978 may be anauxiliary power out connector according to FIGS. 1A and 2A. Theauxiliary power out connector 978 may include, for example, a DCconnector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, an IEC 420 C13 or C14connector, or any other connector (including custom and/or hybridconnectors) capable of communicating power from the auxiliary power outconnector 978 to, for example, an auxiliary power in connector of adisplay apparatus (such as the auxiliary power in connector 986 of thesecondary display apparatus 980). The auxiliary power out connector 978may be able to connect to a display apparatus (e.g., the secondarydisplay apparatus 980) in order to provide power to the displayapparatus for the display apparatus to operate.

The secondary display apparatus 980 may contain the same (or similar)elements as provided in the primary display apparatus 902. However, inthe system 900 of FIG. 9 , the secondary display apparatus 980 is notattached to the docking station 904 at its docking station receptacle982. (Note, as described above, that the docking station 904 is insteadattached to the docking station receptacle 905 of the primary displayapparatus 902.) Instead, the secondary display apparatus 980 receivesdata via an interface between the auxiliary graphical data connector 976of the docking station 904 and, e.g., an HDMI connector 984 of thesecondary display apparatus 980. Further, the secondary displayapparatus 980 receives power via an interface between the auxiliarypower out connector 978 of the docking station 904 and an auxiliarypower in connector 986 of the secondary display apparatus 980. It isanticipated that in some embodiments, the secondary display apparatus980 may instead be a display apparatus that does not include the dockingstation receptacle 982 (and, accordingly, does not include a direct dataconnector or a direct power in connector).

Alternatively, the auxiliary power in connector 986 of the secondarydisplay apparatus 980 may receive power from an external power sourcerather than from the auxiliary power out connector 978 of the dockingstation 904. For example, the auxiliary power in connector 986 mayreceive power from the external power source 909. In these embodiments,the auxiliary power in connector 986 may be any connector (includingcustom and/or hybrid connectors) capable of connecting to a connector onthe external power source 909. This may be useful to provide power tothe secondary display apparatus 980 in cases where, for example, theauxiliary power out connector 978 of the docking station 904 is notavailable or is not otherwise providing power to the secondary displayapparatus 980 via its auxiliary power out connector 978.

It is contemplated that in some embodiments, the functionalities of anauxiliary graphical data connector (such as the auxiliary graphical dataconnector 976) of the docking station 904 and the functionalities of theauxiliary power out connector 978 may be combined into a singleconnector (not shown). This connector may be a connector that is capableof providing both data and power from the docking station 904 to anexternal object (such as, e.g., a USB-C connector). Accordingly, it iscontemplated that an external object (e.g., the secondary displayapparatus 980) may include a single corresponding connector that iscapable of receiving both data and power from the docking station 904(such as, e.g., a USB-C connector) and by so doing perform both thefunctionalities of the auxiliary power in connector 986 and the datareception functionalities that are analogous to those that would occurusing the HDMI connector 984 (or another data connector of the secondarydisplay apparatus 980).

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a system 1000 for docking with a hostdevice, according to an embodiment. Many of the numbered elements of thesystem 1000 are similar to like-numbered elements of the system 900.However, at least the following differences apply:

The docking station 1004 has been illustrated with a combined directdata/power out connector 1053 instead of, e.g., the direct dataconnector 954 and the direct power out connector 952 described inrelation to FIG. 9 . This combined direct data/power out connector 1053may combine the features of the direct data connector 954 and the directpower out connector 952 of FIG. 9 together into a single connector. Thiscombined direct data/power out connector 1053 may be analogous to thecombined direct data/power out connector 332 of FIGS. 3A-3B.

The primary display apparatus 1002 has been illustrated with a combineddirect data/power in connector 1055 instead of, e.g., the direct dataconnector 906 and the direct power in connector 908 of FIG. 9 . Thiscombined direct data/power in connector 1055 may combine the features ofthe direct data connector 906 and the direct power in connector 908 ofFIG. 9 into a single connector. This combined direct data/power inconnector 1055 may be analogous to the combined direct data/power inconnector 312 of FIG. 3A.

While the primary display apparatus 1002 has been illustrated as beingremovably attached 1003 with the docking station 1004, it should beunderstood that the primary display apparatus 1002 may be used todisplay data and perform other functions without being removablyattached 1003 to the docking station 1004 via the use of one or more of,for example, the auxiliary power in connector 1007, the HDMI connector1018 and/or the VGA connector 1020, the stereo connector 1024, and/oranother connector(s) present on the primary display apparatus.

The secondary display apparatus 1080 does not have a docking stationreceptacle analogous to the docking station receptacle 982 of thesecondary display apparatus 980 of FIG. 9 . This may be because thesecondary display apparatus 1080 is not a display apparatus that wasdeveloped specifically for docking with docking station 1004 at adocking station receptacle (e.g., the secondary display apparatus 1080was developed by a different manufacturer than the manufacturer of thedocking station 1004, or secondary display apparatus 1080 was producedwithout the docking station receptacle to reduce costs of production).

The power in connector 1086 of the secondary display apparatus 1080 ofFIG. 10 may be the only power in connector of the secondary displayapparatus 1080 (and thus the power in connector 1086 is not termed an“auxiliary” power in connector). This power in connector 1086 isillustrated as being powered by the external power source 1009 insteadof by, e.g., the auxiliary power out connector 1078 of the dockingstation 1004 (e.g., in the manner described in relation to the auxiliarypower in connector 986 of FIG. 9 ). However, there may be some caseswhere the auxiliary power out connector 1078 of the docking station 1004is still capable of providing power to the secondary display apparatus1080 via the power in connector 1086 (e.g., when the secondary displayapparatus 1080 is manufactured to be compatible with the auxiliary powerout connector 1078 of the docking station 1004).

It is further contemplated that in some cases, a single connector (e.g.,a USB-C connector) may perform the functionalities of the auxiliarygraphical data connector 1076 and the auxiliary power out connector1078, and this connector may interface (e.g., via a cable) with acorresponding single connector on the secondary display apparatus 1080,which may replace the uses of the HDMI connector 1084 and the power inconnector 1086 illustrated in FIG. 10 .

FIG. 11 illustrates a method 1100 of a docking station, according to oneembodiment. The method 1100 may include more or less than other methodsof docking stations contemplated by the present application.

The method 1100 may include removably attaching 1102 to a dockingstation receptacle of a display apparatus. The attachment of the dockingstation to the docking station receptacle may act to create a directinterface (without a separate cable) between a direct data connector ofthe docking station and a direct data connector of the displayapparatus. This attachment may further act to create a direct interface(without a separate cable) between a direct power out connector of thedocking station and a direct power in connector of the displayapparatus.

The method 1100 further may include receiving 1104 data from a hostdevice, the data from the host device comprising graphical data.

The method 1100 further may include providing 1106 power to a displayapparatus via a direct power out connector of the docking station.

The method 1100 further may include providing 1108 at least a portion ofthe graphical data to the display apparatus via a direct data connectorof the docking station.

The method 1100 further may include providing 1110 power to a seconddisplay apparatus via an auxiliary power out connector.

The method 1100 further may include providing 1112 at least a portion ofthe graphical data for use to render a display on a display screen of asecond display apparatus via an auxiliary graphical data connector.

The method 1100 further may include receiving 1114 data from the displayapparatus via the direct data connector of the docking station.

The method 1100 further may include providing 1116 power to the hostdevice via a host device connector.

The method 1100 further may include providing 1118 data to the hostdevice. This data may be provided via a host device connector and/or viaa wireless transceiver of the docking station.

FIG. 12 illustrates a method 1200 of a docking station, according to oneembodiment. The method 1200 may include more or less than other methodsof docking stations contemplated by the present application.

The method 1200 may include removably attaching 1202 to a dockingstation receptacle of a display apparatus. The attachment of the dockingstation to the docking station receptacle may act to create a directinterface (without a separate cable) between a combined directdata/power out connector of the docking station and a combined directdata/power in connector of the display apparatus.

The method 1200 may include receiving 1204 data from a host device, thedata from the host device comprising graphical data.

The method 1200 further may include providing 1206 power to a displayapparatus via a combined direct data/power out connector of the dockingstation.

The method 1200 further may include providing 1208 at least a portion ofthe graphical data to the display apparatus via the combined directdata/power out connector of the docking station.

The method 1200 further may include providing 1210 power to a seconddisplay apparatus via an auxiliary power out connector.

The method 1200 further may include providing 1212 at least a portion ofthe graphical data for use to render a display on a display screen of asecond display apparatus via an auxiliary graphical data connector.

The method 1200 further may include receiving 1214 data from the displayapparatus via the combined direct data/power out connector of thedocking station.

The method 1200 further may include providing 1216 power to the hostdevice via a host device connector.

The method 1200 further may include providing 1218 data to the hostdevice. This data may be provided via a host device connector and/or viaa wireless transceiver of the docking station.

FIG. 13 illustrates a method 1300 of a display apparatus, according toan embodiment. The method 1300 may include more or less than othermethods of display apparatuses contemplated by the present application.

The method 1300 may include removably attaching 1302 to a dockingstation at a docking station receptacle of the display apparatus. Theattachment of the display apparatus to the docking station at thedocking station receptacle may act to create a direct interface (withouta separate cable) between a direct data connector of the docking stationand a direct data connector of the display apparatus. This attachmentmay further act to create a direct interface (without a separate cable)between a direct power out connector of the docking station and a directpower in connector of the display apparatus.

The method 1300 may include receiving 1304 power from the dockingstation via a direct power in connector of the display apparatus.

The method 1300 further may include receiving 1306 graphical data fromthe docking station via a direct data connector of the display apparatus

The method 1300 further may include using 1308 the graphical data torender a display on a display screen of the display apparatus.

The method 1300 further may include sending 1310 data to the dockingstation via the direct data connector of the display apparatus.

FIG. 14 illustrates a method 1400 of a display apparatus, according toan embodiment. The method 1400 may include more or less than othermethods of display apparatuses contemplated by the present application.

The method 1400 may include removably attaching 1402 to a dockingstation at a docking station receptacle of the display apparatus. Theattachment of the display apparatus to the docking station at thedocking station receptacle may act to create a direct interface (withouta separate cable) between a combined direct data/power out connector ofthe docking station and a combined direct data/power in connector of thedisplay apparatus.

The method 1400 may include receiving 1404 power from the dockingstation via a combined direct data/power in connector of the displayapparatus.

The method 1400 further may include receiving 1406 graphical data fromthe docking station via the combined direct data/power in connector ofthe display apparatus.

The method 1400 further may include using 1408 the graphical data torender a display on a display screen of the display apparatus.

The method 1400 further may include sending 1410 data to the dockingstation via the combined direct data/power in connector of the displayapparatus.

Docking Stand Assemblies With Docking Station Receptacles

Improvements to electronics design and manufacturing techniques overtime have allowed for increasingly powerful electronics to beincorporated into a portable form factor. A portable electronic device(PED) in many cases incorporates a screen that facilitates a user’sinteraction with the PED by displaying data related to the workings ofthe device to the user. In many cases, the screen may be a touchscreen,which allows the screen to furthermore function as an input device forthe user to use to issue instructions to the electronic device. Thesedevices have the advantage of being able to be easily moved from onelocation to another. A PED may be a smartphone, a tablet computer, alaptop computer, a 2-in-1 computer, or any other portable electronicdevice.

Disclosure herein relates to embodiments of a docking stand assemblyconfigured to receive a PED. In some embodiments, the docking standassembly may be configured to receive the PED directly. In otherembodiments, the docking stand assembly may instead be configured toreceive a PED assembly that comprises the PED disposed within a caseencasing the PED.

In either instance, the PED is removably attachable to the docking standassembly. Because the PED is removably attached to the docking standassembly, a user of the electronic device has the option to use the PEDin a portable mode, or in a non-portable stand mode, and can selectbetween the two modes simply by removing the PED from the docking standassembly or placing the PED back within the docking stand assembly. Thisallows the user to (alternately) enjoy benefits stemming from theportable mode and the non-portable mode.

As will be described below, a docking stand assembly may also include adocking station receptacle for the receipt of a docking station to beused in conjunction with a PED device that has been received in thedocking stand assembly.

FIG. 15 illustrates a front perspective view of a docking stand assembly1502 according to an embodiment. The docking stand assembly 1502includes the docking tray 1504, the base 1506, and a support member (notvisible in FIG. 15 ) between the docking tray 1504 and the base 1506.

The docking tray 1504 may further include a connector 1508 configured toremovably couple with a connector of a PED once the PED has been placedwithin the docking tray 1504. The connection of the PED with theconnector 1508 may enable a power and/or data connection with the PEDthat has been received in the docking tray 1504, as will be discussed infurther detail below. Accordingly, in embodiments herein, each of theconnector 1508 and the connector of the PED may be a combined power/dataconnector. The connector 1508 may be a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, alightning connector, or any other physical connector capable of powerand/or data communication to and/or from the PED. The connector 1508 maybe positioned within the docking tray 1504 such that it interfaces withthe connector of the PED when the PED is inserted into the docking tray1504 (perhaps as encased in a case made for the PED, where the case hasfurther been designed for interaction with the docking tray 1504 of thedocking stand assembly 1502).

The docking tray 1504 may further include a removable access 1510. Theremovable access 1510 may lift away from the docking tray 1504 in orderto provide access to one or more attachment devices securing the dockingtray 1504 to the support member (not shown) of the docking standassembly 1502. These attachment devices may be, for example, screws.Once access is gained to the one or more attachment devices, they may bedisengaged to allow the docking tray 1504 to come away from the supportmember. This removability may allow for the docking tray 1504 to bereplaced by a second docking tray. This second docking tray may beconfigured for use with a different PED than the PED for which thedocking tray 1504 is used (e.g., is of a different size, differentplacement of the connector 1508, and/or has a connector that is of adifferent type than the connector 1508).

The base 1506 of the docking tray 1504 may include the lock slot 1512.The lock slot 1512 may be configured to interface with a device lock sothat a user may secure the docking stand assembly 1502 via the devicelock.

FIG. 16 illustrates a front perspective view of a docking stand assembly1602 with a docking tray 1604 that has received a PED assembly 1608,according to an embodiment. Like the docking stand assembly 1502 of FIG.15 , the docking stand assembly 1602 includes a docking tray 1604, abase 1606, and a support member (not shown). Further, the docking standassembly 1602 has received a PED, in that the PED assembly 1608comprising a PED 1610 (in this instance, a tablet computer) and a case1612 has been inserted into the docking tray 1604.

The case 1612 of the PED assembly 1608, when used with the docking tray1604, positions the PED 1610 of the PED assembly 1608 appropriately foruse with the docking tray 1604 of the docking stand assembly 1602. Thismay mean that the PED 1610 is positioned such that, for example, ascreen 1614 of the PED is fully (or at least substantially) accessiblewhen the PED assembly 1608 is placed within the docking tray 1604.Further, it may mean that the PED 1610 is positioned such that aconnector of the PED 1610 aligns with a connector of the docking tray1604 (not shown, but as in, e.g., the connector 1508 of FIG. 15 ) whenthe PED assembly 1608 is placed within the docking tray 1604.

The case 1612 may include further features for convenience, such as theclamp mechanism 1616 useful for holding the stylus 1618, so that theuser of the docking stand assembly 1602 has easy access to the stylus1618.

While the case 1612 has been illustrated as working with a PED 1610 thatis a tablet computer of a first type, it is contemplated that anothercase may work similarly within the docking tray 1604 of the dockingstand assembly 1602, with this second case configured to encase a secondtype of PED (such as a second type of tablet computer). In other words,a different type of PED may be used with the docking tray 1604 of thedocking stand assembly 1602 simply by swapping out the case 1612 with asecond case meant to be used the new PED and with the docking tray 1604of the docking stand assembly 1602.

It is also contemplated that docking stand assemblies may includedocking trays that are shaped and configured to receive a PED that isnot encased in a case, and to provide for alignment between/properpositioning of a connector of the PED and a connector of the dockingtray in such instances.

FIG. 17 illustrates a rear perspective view of a docking stand assembly1702, according to an embodiment. The docking stand assembly 1702includes a docking tray 1704, a support member 1706, and a base 1708.The support member 1706 of the docking stand assembly 1702 may include ahinge 1712, which may allow the docking tray 1704 to tilt relative tothe base 1708. The support member 1706 of the docking stand assembly1702 is mounted to the top of the base 1708 via a turntable 1710, whichallows the support member 1706 (and, accordingly, the docking tray 1704)to rotate about the top of the base 1708.

The base 1708 includes a docking station receptacle 1716 that isconfigured to receive a docking station such as the docking station1714. A connector (not shown) may be disposed within the docking stationreceptacle 1716. This connector may removably couple or interface with aconnector of the docking station 1714 to connect to the docking station1714. This connector of the docking station receptacle 1716 may beconnected to a power and data delivery pathway (not shown) that runsbetween the connector of the docking station receptacle 1716 and upthrough the base 1708, the support member 1706, and the docking tray1704 to the connector of the docking tray 1704 (e.g., the connector 1508of FIG. 15 ). Accordingly, these connectors and the power and deliverypathway between them may provide power and data communication betweenthe docking station 1714 and a PED that has been placed in the dockingtray 1704 of the docking stand assembly 1702. This permits the PED tocommunicate not only with the docking station 1714, but also with anyexternal objects that may be connected to the one or more connectors ofthe docking station 1714.

The docking station 1714 may be optionally inserted into and/or removedfrom into the docking stand assembly 1702. The docking stand assembly1702 may be compatible with multiple types of docking station (of whichthe docking station 1714 is one), each of which may optionally beinserted into the docking station receptacle 1716 of the docking standassembly 1702. The various docking stations may provide different typesand/or amounts of connectors and features, giving the docking station1714 flexibility to adapt to various use cases and/or to be adapted tothe specific needs of a larger device ecosystem.

The docking tray 1704 may include a lock 1718. The lock 1718 may beconfigured to removably interlock with a case of a PED that has beeninserted into the docking tray 1704, securing the PED within the dockingtray 1704. While the lock 1718 has been illustrated as a barrel keyholeto be locked and unlocked using a barrel key, other types of locks andkeys are contemplated. Further, it is contemplated that the lock 1718may be substituted for a keyless lock (such as a combination lock thatreleases the interlock between the docking tray 1704 and the case aftera proper combination is entered).

FIG. 18 illustrates a rear perspective view of a docking stand assembly1802, according to an embodiment. As illustrated, the docking standassembly 1802 has been shown as secured by attaching a device lock 1804to a lock slot (covered by the device lock 1804 in FIG. 18 ) of thedocking stand assembly 1802 and subsequently securing the security cable1806 of the device lock 1804 to something immobile.

In the embodiment of FIG. 18 , a docking station receptacle 1808 of thedocking stand assembly 1802 is not being used with a docking station.Instead, the dust flap 1810 sits across the face of the docking stationreceptacle 1808 to keep foreign objects from entering the dockingstation receptacle 1808. The dust flap 1810 may be a hinged flap thatfolds back into the docking station receptacle 1808 upon insertion of adocking station, or it may be entirely removable from the face of thedocking station receptacle 1808. The dust flap 1810 further includes anaccess hole 1814 through which a cable may be run for purposes ofattaching to a connector within the docking station receptacle 1808 (notshown). This may allow for a device that is external to the dockingstand assembly 1802 (e.g., a docking station that has not been placed inthe docking station receptacle 1808) to interface with the connector ofthe docking station receptacle 1808 via the cable and thus permitcommunication with a PED that has been placed in a docking tray 1812 ofthe docking stand assembly 1802 via a power and data delivery pathway ofthe docking stand assembly 1802.

FIGS. 19A-19E illustrate various perspective views of a PED assembly1902 for use with a docking stand assembly, according to variousembodiments. The PED assembly 1902 may include a PED 1904 and a case1906. The case 1906 may incorporate various apertures allowing forimmediate physical access to a connector or other device integrated intothe PED 1904, including for example, a screen aperture 1908 for adisplay of the PED 1904, a camera aperture 1910 for a camera 1912 of thePED 1904, a combined power/data connector aperture 1914 for a combinedpower/data connector of the PED 1610, and an audio connector aperture1916 for an audio connector of the PED 1904. Other apertures for, e.g.,a button, a speaker, a microphone, a power connector, an audioconnector, a video connector, a data connector, or some other element orconnector are also contemplated.

The PED assembly 1902 may also hold, e.g., a stylus 1918 at the side ofthe PED assembly 1902 in a removable fashion. The stylus 1918 may beheld in place using a clamp mechanism 1920 included in the case 1906 ofthe PED assembly 1902, or in another way (e.g., via a magnet in eitheror both of the case 1906 or the PED 1904 of the PED assembly 1902).

The PED assembly 1902 may incorporate other features. For example, thecase 1906 of the PED assembly 1902 may incorporate a handle 1922 whichallows the PED assembly 1902 to be securely held and moved when it isnot docked in a tray of a docking stand assembly. The handle 1922 mayoptionally extend outward from the case 1906 of the PED assembly 1902 ina manner such that a user using the PED assembly 1902 when it is notattached to, for example, a docking tray of a docking stand assembly canslide part of a hand under the handle 1922 in order to keep the PEDassembly 1902 secure while moving it about. This handle 1922 may furtheroptionally collapse into the case 1906 of the PED assembly 1902 suchthat it sits flush with, or even within, the case 1906 of the PEDassembly 1902 . Collapsing the handle 1922 in this fashion may permitthe PED assembly 1902 to fit properly within, e.g., a docking tray of adocking stand assembly.

FIG. 20 illustrates a front view of a cross-section of a case 2002 for aPED of a PED assembly as such case 2002 has been inserted into a dockingtray 2004, according to an embodiment. The docking tray 2004 includes alock 2006, which has (removably) interlocked with the case 2002 via theextension of the prongs 2008, thereby securing the case 2002 within thedocking tray 2004. When a user actuates the lock 2006, the prongs 2008retract, thereby allowing for the release of the case 2002 from thedocking tray 2004.

FIG. 21 illustrates various side views of a docking stand assembly 2102,according to an embodiment. As illustrated, a hinge 2108 is located in asupport member 2110 between a base 2104 and a docking tray 2106. Thehinge 2108 allows for the docking tray 2106 to be tilted relative to thebase 2104 at angles including (but not limited to) those illustratedhere. It is contemplated that the hinge 2108 may allow for a full rangeof motion around an axis of the hinge that is limited only by theinteraction of either the top or the bottom of the docking tray 2106with the base 2104 and/or the support member 2110.

FIG. 22 illustrates various top views of a docking stand assembly 2202,according to an embodiment. The docking stand assembly 2202 may includea support member 2210 that is supporting a docking tray 2212. Thesupport member 2210 may itself be supported on a base 2206 of thedocking stand assembly 2202 via a turntable 2208. The turntable 2208 maybe configured to allow the support member 2210 to rotate about the topof the base 2206. A starting position 2204 is illustrated. From thisstarting position, various rotations 2214 are illustrated showing themanner in which this rotation about the top of the base 2206 may beaccomplished. It is contemplated that the rotations are not limited tothe examples shown here, but that a full 360 degree (or more) range ofrotation (either clockwise and/or counterclockwise) may be possible.

FIG. 23 illustrates the insertion of a docking station 2306 into adocking station receptacle 2304 of a docking stand assembly 2302,according to an embodiment. The docking station 2306 may be slid intothe docking station receptacle 2304 of the docking stand assembly 2302as shown.

FIG. 24 illustrates a docking station 2402, according to an embodiment.The docking station 2402 may include a connector 2404 for connecting toa connector of docking station receptacle of a docking stand assembly inorder to communicate power and/or data to and/or from the dockingstation 2402 to a PED that has been placed in a docking tray of thedocking stand assembly via a power and data delivery pathway of thedocking stand assembly, in the manner described above. Accordingly, itmay be that one or both of the connector 2404 and the connector of thedocking station is a combined power/data connector. The connector 2404may be, e.g., a USB-C connector, a lightning connector, a customconnector (as in, for example, the custom connector 332 of FIGS. 3A and3B, which uses goldfingers), or any other type of connector appropriatefor transporting power and/or data between the docking station 2402 andthe PED. In the example of FIG. 24 , the connector 2404 has beenillustrated as a USB-C connector.

The docking station 2402 may include a rail 2406. The rail 2406 mayinteract with a rail on a docking station receptacle of an appropriatedocking stand assembly, thereby ensuring proper alignment of the dockingstation within the docking station receptacle (e.g., so that theconnector 2404 is aligned with a connector of the docking stationreceptacle). It is contemplated that there may be more than one rail onthe docking station 2402 (with corresponding additional rail(s) in thedocking station receptacle) useful for this purpose.

The docking station 2402 may further include a USB-C connector 2408. TheUSB-C connector 2408 may act as a power connector that is a power sourceconnector that receives power from an external power source, in themanner described above. This power may be used to operate the dockingstation 2402. In some embodiments, at least some of the power receivedat the docking station 2402 from the external power source at the USB-Cconnector 2408 may also be communicated (via the connector 2404) to aPED located in a tray of a docking stand assembly to which the dockingstation 2402 is connected. This power may be used by the PED to operate,charge a battery of the PED, and/or for any other purpose for which thePED may require power. This power may be provided from the dockingstation USB-C connector 2408 to the PED via the connector 2404 via thepower and data delivery pathway described above.

It is also contemplated that the USB-C connector 2408 may also act as acommunications connector and/or a data connector. In these cases, databetween the PED and input and/or output devices connected to the dockingstation 2402 via the USB-C connector 2408 and/or communications databetween the PED and one or more communications devices connected to thedocking station 2402 via the USB-C connector 2408 may be transportedalong the power and data delivery pathway of the docking stationapparatus.

The docking station 2402 may further include a USB-A connector 2410.This USB-A connector may act as a communications connector and/or a dataconnector, as those connectors are described above. When so used, data(e.g., input/output device data or communications device data) may betransported between the connected external object and the dockingstation 2402. Such data received at the docking station may be forwardedfrom the docking station 2402 to the PED located in a docking stationreceptacle of a docking stand assembly to which the docking station 2402is connected via the power and delivery pathway described above, and/orforwarded from the docking station 2402 to another external objectconnected to the docking station 2402. Further, data from either of thePED or another external object may be forwarded through the dockingstation 2402 and to the external object connected to the USB-A connector2410 via the USB-A connector 2410. It is also contemplated that theUSB-A connector 2410 may be used as a power source connector for thedocking station 2402 in some embodiments (either solely, or in additionto as a communications connector and/or a data connector), similarly tothe use of the USB-C connector 2408 as described.

The docking station 2402 may further include an RJ-45 connector 2412.The RJ-45 connector 2412 may act as either a communications connector ora power connector (e.g., using Power over Ethernet), as those connectorsare described above. When so used, power and/or data (e.g.communications device data) may be transported between the externalobject connected to the RJ-45 connector 2412, the docking station 2402,a PED located in a docking station receptacle of a docking standassembly to which the docking station 2402 is connected, and/or anotherexternal object connected to the docking station 2402, as in the mannerdescribed above.

The docking station 2402 may further include one or more HDMI connectors2414. These HDMI connectors 2414 may each act as a data connector thatis an auxiliary graphical data connector, as described above. When soused, graphical data from the PED of the docking stand assembly dockingstation 2402 may be transported to the docking station 2402 and fromthere to any display apparatus(es) connected to the HDMI connectors2414. It is further contemplated that graphical data from an externalobject received at the docking station 2402 may also be so transportedvia the HDMI connectors 2414 and displayed in this manner.

FIG. 25 illustrates a docking station 2502, according to an embodiment.The docking station 2502 may include a connector 2504. The connector2504 may be similar in nature and use to the connector 2404 of FIG. 24 .

The docking station 2502 may include a rail 2506. The rail 2506 may besimilar in nature and use to the rail 2406 of FIG. 24 .

The docking station 2502 may include a USB-C connector 2508. The USB-Cconnector 2508 may be similar in nature and use to the USB-C connector2408 of FIG. 24 .

The docking station 2502 may include a USB-A connector 2510. The USB-Aconnector 2510 may be similar in nature and use to the USB-A connector2410 of FIG. 24 .

The docking station 2502 may include an RJ-45 connector 2512. The RJ-45connector 2512 may be similar in nature and use to the RJ-45 connector2412 of FIG. 24 .

The docking station 2502 may include the DisplayPorts 2514. TheseDisplayPorts 2514 may each act as a data connector that is an auxiliarygraphical data connector, as described above. When so used, graphicaldata from the PED of the docking stand assembly docking station 2402 maybe transported to the docking station 2402 and from there to any displayapparatus(es) connected to the DisplayPorts 2514. It is furthercontemplated that graphical data from an external object received at thedocking station 2402 may also be so transported via the DisplayPorts2514 and displayed in this manner.

FIG. 26 illustrates a docking station 2602, according to an embodiment.The docking station 2602 may include a connector 2604. The connector2604 may be similar in nature and use to the connector 2404 of FIG. 24 .

The docking station 2602 may include a rail 2606. The rail 2606 may besimilar in nature and use to the rail 2406 of FIG. 24 .

The docking station 2602 may include a USB-C connector 2608. The USB-Cconnector 2608 may be similar in nature and use to the USB-C connector2408 of FIG. 24 .

The docking station 2602 may include the USB-A connectors 2610. TheUSB-A connectors 2610 may each be similar in nature and use to the USB-Aconnector 2410 of FIG. 24 .

FIG. 27 illustrates a perspective view of the bottom of a docking standassembly 2700, according to an embodiment. A docking station 2702 hasbeen inserted into the docking station receptacle 2704 of the dockingstand assembly 2700. Further one or more security screws 2706 has beeninserted through the bottom of the docking stand assembly 2700 and intocorresponding threaded holes (not shown) on the bottom of the dockingstation 2702. In this manner, the docking station 2702 is securely heldwithin the docking stand assembly 2700.

It is contemplated that other embodiments of docking stand assembliesand docking stations may use other types of mounting features (otherthan screws) to secure the docking station in a docking stationreceptacle of the docking stand assembly. Examples of such mountingfeatures (and their use) are described above in relation to dockingstation receptacles of display apparatuses and docking stations for usetherewith.

FIG. 28 illustrates an exploded view of a mounting configuration 2800for a docking stand assembly 2802, according to an embodiment. A lockingplate 2804 may be attached to the bottom of the docking stand assembly2802 via one or more fasteners 2808 (illustrated here has screws). Thelocking plate 2804 is attached to post 2806. For example, the lockingplate 2804 may be welded to the post 2806, or alternatively the lockingplate 2804 and the post 2806 are formed together. That the post 2806 maybe removably attached to the locking plate 2804 (e.g., via screws (notshown) coming down through the top of the locking plate 2804 and intothe post 2806) is also contemplated. The post 2806 may then be passedthrough a hole in the surface 2810 to which the docking stand assembly2802 is to be mounted. The sleeve 2812 is then passed over the portionof the post 2806 that extends from the bottom of the surface 2810. Thetension knob 2816 of the sleeve 2812 is then tightened to hold thesleeve 2812 in place on the post 2806 and thus hold the mountingconfiguration 2800 in place.

The underside of the surface 2810 may be in a relatively secure location(e.g., may be the underside of a service counter with an underside thatis only accessible from a secure side). Further, the tension knob 2816may be secured with a padlock or a knob lockout, and or mayalternatively be tooled such that removal of the tension knob 2816requires a certain tool.

The bottom of the docking stand assembly 2802, the locking plate 2804and the post 2806 may include ducting 2814. This ducting 2814 may allowa cable to pass from the bottom of the post up through the locking plate2804 and the bottom of the docking stand assembly 2802 in order tointerface with a connector within a docking station receptacle of thedocking stand assembly.

FIG. 29 illustrates a back perspective view of a docking stand assembly2902 that has been mounted to a surface 2904 using a mounting plate (notvisible) and a post 2906 (secured by a sleeve 2908) and allowing foraccess by a cable 2912 through ducting according to a mountingconfiguration 2900, according to an embodiment. As illustrated, a usermay prefer to place the docking station 2910 (or another device) in alocation other than inside the docking station receptacle 2914 of thedocking stand assembly 2902. In this case, when using the mountingconfiguration 2900 illustrated, a cable may run from a connector of thedocking station 2910 (or other device) up through ducting found in thepost 2906, the mounting plate, and the bottom of the docking standassembly 2902 and to a connector located within the docking stationreceptacle 2914 of the docking stand assembly 2902. This may enable theuse of the docking station 2910 (or other device) with a PED inserted inthe docking tray 2916 of the docking stand assembly 2902. In the case ofthe docking station 2910, the use of the docking station 2910 may befunctionally the same as if the docking station 2910 were inserteddirectly into the docking station receptacle 2914.

FIG. 30 illustrates a front perspective view of a docking stand assembly3002 according to an embodiment. The docking stand assembly 3002includes a docking tray 3004, a base 3006, and a support member 3008between the docking tray 3004 and the base 3006. The docking standassembly 3002 may be configured to work with a different type of PEDthan, for example, the docking stand assembly 1502 of FIG. 15 . Forexample, while the docking stand assembly 1502 may be configured for usewith a PED that is a tablet computer, the docking stand assembly 3002may instead be configured for use with a PED that is a smartphone.

The docking tray 3004 may further include a connector 3010 configured toremovably couple with a connector of a PED once the PED has been placedwithin the docking tray 3004. The connection of the PED with theconnector 3010 may enable a power and/or data connection with the PEDthat has been received in the docking tray 3004, in the manner describedabove. The connector 3010 may be a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, alightning connector, or any other physical connector capable of powerand/or data communication to and/or from the PED. The connector 3010 maybe positioned within the docking tray 3004 such that it interfaces withthe connector of the PED when the PED is inserted into the docking tray3004 (perhaps as encased in a case made for the PED, where such a caseis also designed for interaction with the docking tray 3004 of thedocking stand assembly 3002).

The support member 3008 of the docking stand assembly 3002 is mounted tothe top of the base 3006 via a turntable 3012, which allows the supportmember 3008 (and, accordingly, the docking tray 3004) to rotate aboutthe top of the base 3006.

FIG. 31 illustrates a front perspective view of a docking stand assembly3102 with a docking tray 3104 that has received a PED 3112, according toan embodiment. Like the docking stand assembly 3002 of FIG. 30 , thedocking stand assembly 3102 includes a docking tray 3104, a base 3106, asupport member 3108 and a turntable 3110. Further, the docking standassembly 3102 has received the PED 3112 in the docking tray 3104.

The PED 3112 is positioned relative to the docking tray 3104 such that aconnector of the PED 3112 aligns with a connector of the docking tray3104 (not shown, but as in, e.g., the connector 3010 of FIG. 30 ). Thispositioning also provides that a screen 3114 of the PED is fully (or atleast substantially) accessible when the PED 3112 is placed within thedocking tray 3104.

FIG. 32 illustrates a rear perspective view of a docking stand assembly3202, according to an embodiment. The docking stand assembly 3202includes a docking tray 3204, a support member 3206, a base 3208, and aturntable 3210. The support member 3206 of the docking stand assembly3202 may include a hinge 3212, which may allow the docking tray 3204 totilt relative to the base 3208.

The base 3208 includes a docking station receptacle 3214 that isconfigured to receive a docking station such as the docking station3216. A connector (not shown) may be disposed within the docking stationreceptacle 3214. This connector may removably couple or interface with aconnector of the docking station 3216 to connect to the docking station3216. This connector of the docking station receptacle 3214 may beconnected to a power and data delivery pathway (not shown) that runsbetween the connector of the docking station receptacle 3214 and upthrough the base 3208, the support member 3206, and the docking tray3204 to the connector of the docking tray 3204 (e.g., the connector 3010of FIG. 30 ). Accordingly, these connectors and the power and deliverypathway between them may provide power and data communication betweenthe docking station 3216 and a PED that has been placed in the dockingtray 3204 of the docking stand assembly 3202. This permits the PED tocommunicate not only with the docking station 3216, but also with anyexternal objects that may be connected to or interfaced with theexternal object connectors of the docking station 3216. Thesecommunications may be as described above in relation to otherembodiments of docking stations and their use with docking standassemblies.

Similarly to previously described embodiments, the docking station 3216may be optionally inserted into and/or removed from the docking standassembly 3202. The docking stand assembly 3202 may be compatible withmultiple types of docking stations (of which the docking station 3216 isone), each of which may optionally be inserted into the docking stationreceptacle 3214 of the docking stand assembly 3202. The various dockingstations may provide different types and/or amounts of connectors andfeatures, giving the docking station 3216 flexibility to adapt tovarious use cases and/or to be adapted to the specific needs of a largerdevice ecosystem.

FIG. 33 illustrates various side views of a docking stand assembly 3302,according to an embodiment. As illustrated, a hinge 3304 is located in asupport member 3306 between a base 3312 and a docking tray 3308. Thehinge 3304 allows for the docking tray 3308 to be tilted relative to thebase 3312 at angles including (but not limited to) those illustratedhere. The base 3312 may include the combined power/data connector 3310.The act of tilting the docking tray 3308 as illustrated may act tocreate or disengage an interface between a combined power/data connectorof a PED (not shown) and the combined power/data connector 3310 of thedocking stand assembly 3302.

FIG. 34 is a block diagram of a system 3400 using a docking standassembly 3402, according to an embodiment. This system includes thedocking stand assembly 3402, the PED 3404, the docking station 3406, theexternal power source 3408, the external object(s) 3410. In the system3400, the PED 3404 and the docking station 3406 may have been removablyattached to the docking stand assembly 3402, with the PED 3404 locatedin a docking tray (not illustrated) of the docking stand assembly 3402and the docking station 3406 located at a docking station receptacle(not illustrated) of the docking stand assembly 3402, in like manner asdescribed herein.

The external power source 3408 may be connected to the docking station3406. The external power source 3408 may be, for example, a battery, aconnection to a utility transformer via a wall outlet, or any otherappropriate external power source. The docking station 3406 may takepower directly from the external power source 3408 in order to operate.It may further provide at least some of the power from the externalpower source 3408 to the PED 3404 with which it is communicating (e.g.,via a power and data delivery pathway 3412 of the docking stand assembly3402 as described above). The PED 3404 may use power supplied via thedocking station 3406 in this way to operate, charge a battery of the PED3404, and/or for any other purpose for which the PED 3404 may requirepower. The docking station 3406 may also provide at least some of thepower from the external power source 3408 to one or more of the externalobject(s) 3410.

The external object(s) 3410 may include one or more of an input device,an output device, a display device, a communications device, or anyother external object as discussed above. These external object(s) 3410may be connected to and communicate with the docking station 3406 usingan appropriate connector of the docking station 3406, as describedabove. The PED 3404 may communicate with the one or more externalobject(s) 3410 by sending data to the docking station 3406 to beforwarded to the external object(s) 3410, and the external object(s)3410 may communicate with the PED 3404 by sending data to the dockingstation 3406 to be forwarded to the PED. Data so shared in this mannermay include input data, output data, graphical data, communicationsdata, or any other type of data described above.

FIG. 35 is a block diagram of a system 3500 for using a docking station3502 and a PED 3506 with a docking stand assembly 3504, according to anembodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 35 , the docking station 3502 maybe removably attached to the docking stand assembly 3504, in like mannerto that described above. Further, the PED 3506 may be removably attachedto the docking stand assembly 3504, in like manner to that describedabove. This should be understood even though, merely for purposes ofillustration, the docking station 3502 and the PED 3506 have been drawnapart from, and similarly sized to, the docking stand assembly 3504.

The docking station 3502 may include a power source connector 3508. Thepower source connector 3508 may receive power from the external powersource 3510. The power source connector 3508 may be any connector(including custom and/or hybrid connectors) capable of connecting to aconnector on the external power source 3510. The power provided may becommunicated to a power module 3512 of the docking station 3502 fordistribution to the rest of the docking station 3502 in order to operatethe docking station 3502. There may be sufficient remaining power forthe docking station 3502 to further communicate power to the PED 3506via the combined data/power connector 3514 in the manner describedherein. Additionally (or alternatively), there may be sufficientremaining power to be communicated to, for example, the auxiliary powerout connector 3516, in order to provide power to, e.g., a secondarydisplay apparatus (not shown) for it to operate. There may also besufficient power remaining to communicate power (perhaps indirectly) toexternal objects connected to other connectors of the docking station3502 (e.g., USB device(s) 3518 connected to USB connector(s) 3520), orfor any other purpose for which power may be used by the docking station3502.

The docking station 3502 may further include a wireless transceiver3522. This wireless transceiver 3522 may communicate with a wirelesstransceiver of the PED 3506, to form a network. This wireless networkmay be used for data communications between the docking station 3502 andthe PED 3506. The wireless transceiver 3522 may use, for example, aWi-Fi™ protocol, a Bluetooth™ protocol, or any other appropriatewireless protocol useable to transfer data as part of networkcommunication.

The wireless transceiver 3522 may also be used by the docking station3502 to connect to other wireless network devices (e.g., a networkdevice such as a router) in order to receive independent data (e.g.,data not from the PED 3506) from a network. This data may be used tooperate the PED 3506 (e.g., used to power on and/or off the primary PED3506, used to render a display on a display screen 3562 of the PED3506). The wireless transceiver 3522 may or may not be removable 3524from the docking station 3502 in the manner described herein.

The controller/multiplexer 3526 may receive power from the power module3512. The controller/multiplexer 3526 may then communicate this powerto, for example, a USB hub 3528. The controller/multiplexer 3526 mayalso send data (e.g., graphical data provided from the PED 3506) to avideo splitter 3530. The controller/multiplexer 3526 may also sendand/or receive data to and/or from the USB hub 3528 and/or the wirelesstransceiver 3522 in the manner described herein. Thecontroller/multiplexer 3526 may be, in some embodiments, a Thunderbolt™3/USB-C controller/multiplexer.

The controller/multiplexer 3526 or another processor/controller of thedocking station 3502 may have instructions thereon to implement one ormore other features of the docking station 3502 consistent withembodiments of docking stations discussed herein. Such instructions maybe sourced from a non-transitory computer-readable medium (not shown) onor associated with these processors and/or controllers.

The USB hub 3528 may be connected to the USB connector(s) 3520, and maybe responsible for routing data and/or power between the USBconnector(s) 3520, an RJ-45 connector 3536, and thecontroller/multiplexer 3526. As described above, data at the USBconnector(s) 3520 may be provided by and/or sent to the USB device(s)3518. Further, power to the USB device(s) 3518 may be provided by theUSB hub 3528. Data from the RJ-45 connector 3536 may be provided by anetwork device 3538 connected to the RJ-45 connector 3536.

The video splitter 3530 may receive data (including graphical data) fromthe controller/multiplexer 3526. This graphical data may have originatedfrom, for example, the PED 3506 or an external object in the mannerdescribed herein. The video splitter 3530 may provide all or a portionof received graphical data from an external object to the combineddata/power connector 3514 of the docking station 3502. This graphicaldata may be communicated, eventually, to the PED 3506 to be used torender a display on the display screen 3562 in the manner describedherein. The video splitter 3530 may provide (alternatively oradditionally) all or a portion of received graphical data from either anexternal object and/or the PED 3506 to either of, e.g., the DisplayPortconnector 3532 and/or HDMI connector 3534 of the docking station 3502.From the DisplayPort connector 3532 and/or the HDMI connector 3534, thatgraphical data may then be communicated to, e.g., a secondary displayapparatus (not shown).

It is contemplated that in some embodiments, the video splitter 3530 ofthe docking station 3502 may provide all or a portion of receivedgraphical data to a plurality of auxiliary graphical data connectorssuch as the DisplayPort connector 3532 and the HDMI connector 3534. Inthese cases, each auxiliary graphical data connector may providegraphical data from the docking station 3502 to other displayapparatuses which are not illustrated.

The docking station 3502 may further include the auxiliary power outconnector 3516. This auxiliary power out connector 3516 may be anauxiliary power out connector according to FIGS. 1A and 2A. Theauxiliary power out connector 3516 may include, for example, a DCconnector, a USB (e.g., USB-C) connector, an IEC 420 C13 or C14connector, or any other connector (including custom and/or hybridconnectors) capable of communicating power from the auxiliary power outconnector 3516 to, for example, an auxiliary power in connector of adisplay apparatus as described herein. The auxiliary power out connector3516 may be able to connect to a display apparatus in order to providepower to the display apparatus for the display apparatus to operate inthe manner described herein.

The docking stand assembly 3504 may include a docking station receptacle3540 that includes a combined data/power connector 3542. Further, thedocking stand assembly 3504 may include a docking tray 3544 thatincludes a combined data/power connector 3546. A power and data deliverypathway 3548 may run between the combined data/power connector 3542 ofthe docking station receptacle 3540 and the combined data/powerconnector 3546 of the docking tray 3544 to support the transfer of powerand/or data to and/or from the docking station 3502 and the PED 3506.

The PED 3506 may include a combined data/power connector 3550. Thecombined data/power connector 3550 may be configured to interface withand communicate power and/or data to and/or from a combined data/powerconnector 3546 of the docking stand assembly 3504. The combineddata/power connector 3550 of the PED 3506 and/or the combined data/powerconnector 3546 of the docking stand assembly 3504 may be, for example,USB (e.g., USB-C) connectors, lightning connectors, or any otherappropriate connectors as described above. The data received at the PED3506 via the combined data/power connector 3550 may be data (e.g.,graphical and/or other data) communicated by the docking station 3502from an external object via the docking stand assembly 3504.

The PED 3506 may also include a video controller 3560. The videocontroller 3560 may be able to receive graphical data from, for example,the combined data/power connector 3550 and or the wireless transceiver3556 via the processor/controller 3558. The video controller 3560 maythen use the graphical data to render a display on a display screen 3562of the PED 3506.

The PED 3506 may also include an audio controller 3564. The audiocontroller 3564 may be able to receive audio data from the combineddata/power connector 3550 and/or the wireless transceiver 3556 via theprocessor/controller 3558. The audio controller 3564 may then reproducethe audio data for on the speakers 3566 of the PED 3506.

The PED 3506 may further include control buttons 3554. The controlbuttons 3554 may include a power button for turning the PED 3506 on andoff. This may also turn on and off any docking station attached to thePED 3506 via a docking stand assembly (e.g., the docking station 3502via the docking stand assembly 3504) by using signal(s) sent to thedocking station 3502 via the power and data delivery pathway 3548 of thedocking stand assembly 3504. The control buttons 3554 may include one ormore volume buttons for adjusting the volume of the speakers 3566 of thePED 3506.

The PED 3506 may include a power controller 3552. The power controller3552 may be responsible for distributing power to the rest of the PED3506 in order to operate the PED 3506. This power may be received from,for example, the docking station 3502 via the power and data deliverypathway 3548 of the docking stand assembly 3504, in the manner describedabove.

Any of the power controller 3552, the video controller 3560, and/or theaudio controller 3564, or another processor/controller 3558 of the PED3506 may have instructions thereon to implement one or more features ofthe PED 3506 consistent with embodiments of PEDs discussed herein. Suchinstructions may be sourced from a non-transitory computer-readablemedium (not shown) on or associated with these processors and/orcontrollers.

Data used in the system 3500 may be, e.g., data received from an IoTsystem (such as, e.g., an IoT home automation system). This data may bereceived at, e.g., the RJ-45 connector 3536, the USB connector(s) 3520,and/or the wireless transceiver 3522 of the docking station 3502, and/orthis data may be received at the wireless transceiver 3556 of the PED3506. It is contemplated that this data may be used to display settingscorresponding to one or more networked devices (e.g., an IoT device) onthe display screen 3562 of the PED 3506. It is also contemplated thatthe PED 3506 may be used to send commands to networked devices modifyingthese settings or performing other control tasks (e.g., via one of thecontrol buttons 3554 on the PED 3506, and/or via interaction with adisplay screen 3562 of the PED 3506 that is a touch screen). Further,informational items (such as, e.g., weather, news, or status of anotherdevice on the network) may be similarly sent to the PED 3506 anddisplayed on the display screen 3562.

The docking station 3502 may receive an instruction via the wirelesstransceiver 3522 to communicate with a control panel of the PED 3506(which may be a software engine that exists in one or more of the powercontroller 3552, the video controller 3560, the audio controller 3564,and/or another processor/controller 3558 of the primary PED 3506). Inthis way, an administrator of the system 3500 (through a separatenetwork device in communication with the wireless transceiver 3522) mayhave access to, e.g., information about the usage (power usage, time ofuse, time of day of usage statistics, etc.) of the PED 3506 (that isbeing tracked by, e.g., the control panel of the PED 3506). Thiscommunication with a control panel of the PED 3506 may also allow anadministrator of the system 3500 to set various control features (e.g.,time allowed for use, time of day allowed for use, maximum allowed poweruse, etc.) to control the functionality of the PED 3506. The dockingstation 3502 may also be similarly controlled by an administrator inthis way (e.g., via a control panel of the docking station 3502 withfeatures analogous to that of the control panel of the PED 3506).

FIG. 36 illustrates a method 3600 of a docking station, according to anembodiment. The method 3600 includes removably attaching 3602 to adocking station receptacle of a docking stand assembly. This attachmentmay cause a combined data/power connector of the docking station tointerface with a combined data/power connector of the docking stationreceptacle of the docking stand assembly.

The method 3600 further includes receiving 3604 data from one of 1) oneor more external objects and 2) a PED attached to the docking standassembly. Data received from an external object may be received via aconnector (e.g., an RJ-45 connector, a USB connector, an HDMI connector,a DisplayPort connector, etc.) of the docking station and/or via awireless transceiver of the docking station. Data received from the PEDattached to the docking stand assembly may be received at a combineddata/power connector of the docking station from a power and datadelivery pathway of the docking stand assembly or via the wirelesstransceiver of the docking station.

The method 3600 further includes sending 3606 data to one of 1) one ofthe one or more external objects and 2) the PED attached to the dockingstand assembly. Data sent to an external object may be sent via aconnector (e.g., an RJ-45 connector, a USB connector, an HDMI connector,a DisplayPort connector, etc.) of the docking station and/or via awireless transceiver of the docking station. Data sent to the PEDattached to the docking stand assembly may be sent via a combineddata/power connector of the docking station and transported via a powerand data delivery pathway of the docking stand assembly or via thewireless transceiver of the docking station.

The method 3600 further includes receiving 3608 power from one of thePED attached to the docking stand assembly and an external power source.Power received from the PED attached to the docking stand assembly maybe received at a combined data/power connector of the docking stationfrom a power and data delivery pathway of the docking stand assembly.Power received from an external object may be received via a connector(e.g., an RJ-45 connector, a USB connector, etc.) of the dockingstation.

The method 3600 further includes sending 3610 power to one of 1) the PEDattached to the docking stand assembly and 2) one of the one or moreexternal objects. Power sent to the PED attached to the docking standassembly may be sent using the combined data/power connector of thedocking station and transported via a power and data delivery pathway ofthe docking stand assembly. Power sent to an external object may be sentvia a connector (e.g., an RJ-45 connector, a USB connector, etc.) of thedocking station.

FIG. 37 illustrates a method 3700 of a PED, according to an embodiment.The method 3700 includes removably attaching 3702 to a docking tray of adocking stand assembly. This attachment may cause a combined data/powerconnector of the PED to interface with a combined data/power connectorof the docking tray of the docking stand assembly.

The method 3700 further includes receiving 3704 power from a dockingstation attached to the docking stand assembly. Power received from thedocking station attached to the docking stand assembly may be receivedat a combined data/power connector of the PED from a power and datadelivery pathway of the docking stand assembly.

The method 3700 further includes receiving 3706 data from one of 1) oneor more external objects and 2) the docking station attached to thedocking stand assembly. Data received from an external object may bereceived via a wireless transceiver of the PED. Data received from thedocking station attached to the docking stand assembly may be receivedat a combined data/power connector of the PED from a power and datadelivery pathway of the docking stand assembly or via the wirelesstransceiver of the PED.

The method 3700 further includes using 3708 the data received to rendera display on a display screen of the PED. This data may also be used toplay one or more sounds on speakers of the PED, perform calculationsusing a processor/controller of the PED, or for any other purpose.

The method 3700 further includes sending 3710 data to one of 1) one ofthe one or more external objects and 2) the docking station attached tothe docking stand assembly. Data sent directly to an external object maybe sent via a wireless transceiver of the docking station. Data sent tothe docking station attached to the docking stand assembly may be sentvia a combined data/power connector of the docking station andtransported via a power and data delivery pathway of the docking standassembly or via the wireless transceiver of the PED. From there, thedocking station may use the data or subsequently forward it to anexternal object.

The docking stations, display apparatuses, and docking stand assembliesdisclosed herein may respectively include one or more processors and/orcontrollers using instructions present thereon to implement one or morefunctionalities of each such docking station/display apparatus as thosefunctionalities are described herein. The instructions used by suchprocessors and/or controllers may be stored on a non-transitory computerreadable storage medium on (or in communication with) such controllersand/or processors. It is anticipated that these processors and/orcontrollers (and associated non-transitory computer-readableinstructions for use thereon) may be present in any embodiment disclosedherein (even if not explicitly discussed).

This disclosure has been made with reference to various exemplaryembodiments, including the best mode. However, those skilled in the artwill recognize that changes and modifications may be made to theexemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. While the principles of this disclosure have been shown invarious embodiments, many modifications of structure, arrangements,proportions, elements, materials, and components may be adapted for aspecific environment and/or operating requirements without departingfrom the principles and scope of this disclosure. These and otherchanges or modifications are intended to be included within the scope ofthe present disclosure.

This disclosure is to be regarded in an illustrative rather than arestrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to beincluded within the scope thereof. Likewise, benefits, other advantages,and solutions to problems have been described above with regard tovarious embodiments. However, benefits, advantages, solutions toproblems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, orsolution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as acritical, required, or essential feature or element. The scope of thepresent invention should, therefore, be determined by the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A docking stand assembly to receive and support aportable electronic device, comprising: a docking tray configured toreceive the portable electronic device; a base comprising a dockingstation receptacle configured to removably receive and house a dockingstation; a support member connecting the docking tray and the base; afirst combined power/data connector disposed in the docking tray andconfigured to removably couple with a combined power/data connector ofthe portable electronic device to enable power and data communicationwith the portable electronic device; a second combined power/dataconnector in electrical communication with the first combined power/dataconnector, and disposed in the docking station receptacle of the base;and a power and data delivery pathway between the first combinedpower/data connector and the second combined power/data connector andextending through at least part of the base.
 2. The docking standassembly of claim 1, wherein the second combined power/data connector isconfigured to interface with a combined data/power connector of thedocking station when the docking station is placed within the dockingstation receptacle.
 3. The docking stand assembly of claim 1, whereinthe docking tray is removable.
 4. The docking stand assembly of claim 1,wherein the docking tray is configured to receive a case and theportable electronic device disposed within the case.
 5. The dockingstand assembly of claim 4, wherein the docking tray comprises a lockconfigured to removably interlock with the case in order to secure theportable electronic device within the docking tray.
 6. The docking standassembly of claim 1, the base further comprising a locking platereceptacle to receive a locking plate, the locking plate receptaclecomprising an access port to the docking station receptacle.
 7. Thedocking stand assembly of claim 1, the base further comprising a lockslot to receive a device lock.
 8. The docking stand assembly of claim 1,wherein the support member comprises a hinge configured to allow thedocking tray to tilt relative to the base.
 9. The docking stand assemblyof claim 1, wherein the support member is attached to a top of the baseand is configured to rotate about the top of the base.
 10. The dockingstand assembly of claim 1, further comprising an attachment devicewithin the docking station receptacle to removably attach the dockingstation to the docking station receptacle.
 11. A docking stand assemblyto receive and support a portable electronic device, comprising: adocking tray configured to receive the portable electronic device; abase comprising a docking station receptacle configured to removablyreceive and house a docking station; a support member connecting thedocking tray and the base; a first combined power/data connectordisposed in the docking tray and configured to removably couple with acombined power/data connector of the portable electronic device toenable power and data communication with the portable electronic device;a second combined power/data connector in electrical communication withthe first combined power/data connector, and disposed in the dockingstation receptacle of the base; and a power and data delivery pathwaybetween the first combined power/data connector and the second combinedpower/data connector and extending through at least part of the base;and the docking station to removably attach to the docking stationreceptacle of a docking stand assembly, comprising: a combineddata/power connector to interface with the second combined power/dataconnector of the docking stand assembly to provide power and datacommunication between the docking station and a portable electronicdevice located at a docking tray of the docking stand assembly; anattachment device to removably attach the docking station to the dockingstation receptacle of the docking stand assembly; and one or moreexternal object connectors to connect the docking station to one or moreexternal objects.
 12. The docking station of claim 11, wherein thecombined data/power connecter is configured to directly interface withthe second combined power/data connector of the docking stand assemblywhen the docking station is placed within the docking station receptacleof the docking stand assembly.
 13. The docking station of claim 11,wherein one of the one or more external object connectors is a powerconnector; wherein an external object attached to the power connectorprovides power to the docking station.
 14. The docking station of claim13, wherein the power connector is a Universal Serial Bus (USB)-Type C(USB-C) connector.
 15. The docking station of claim 11, wherein one ofthe one or more external object connectors comprises a communicationsconnector to enable network communications between a communicationdevice connected to the communications connector and the portableelectronic device.
 16. The docking station of claim 11, wherein the oneor more external object connectors comprises a data connector.
 17. Thedocking station of claim 16, wherein the data connector comprises a HighDefinition Media Interface (HDMI) connector.
 18. The docking station ofclaim 16, wherein the data connector comprises a DisplayPort connector.19. The docking station of claim 16, wherein the data connectorcomprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.
 20. The dockingstation of claim 16, wherein the data connector is to communicate datafrom the portable electronic device to an output device attached to thedata connector.
 21. The docking station of claim 16, wherein the dataconnector is to communicate data from an input device attached to thedata connector to the portable electronic device.
 22. The dockingstation of claim 11, wherein the one or more external object connectorscomprises a hybrid connector.
 23. The docking station of claim 11,wherein the docking station comprises a wireless transceiver.
 24. Adocking stand assembly for interfacing with a portable electronicdevice, comprising: a docking tray configured to receive the portableelectronic device; a base comprising a docking station receptacle toremovably receive and house a docking station; a support memberconnecting the docking tray and the base; a first combined power/dataconnector disposed in the docking tray and configured to removablycouple with a combined power/data connector of the portable electronicdevice to enable power and data communication with the portableelectronic device; a second combined power/data connector in electricalcommunication with the first combined power/data connector and disposedin the docking station receptacle of the base; and a power and datadelivery pathway coupled to the first combined power/data connector andthe second combined power/data connector and extending through at leastpart of the base; and the docking station configured to be removablyinserted into the docking station receptacle comprising: an attachmentdevice to removably attach the docking station to the docking stationreceptacle of the docking stand assembly; a combined data/powerconnector to interface with the second combined power/data connector ofthe docking stand assembly when the docking station is inserted into thedocking station receptacle of the docking stand assembly to providepower and data transport between the docking station and the portableelectronic device when the portable electronic device is located in adocking tray of the docking stand assembly; and one or more externalobject connectors to connect the docking station to one or more externalobjects.
 25. The docking stand assembly of claim 24, further comprisingan attachment device within the docking station receptacle to removablyattach the docking station to the docking station receptacle of thedocking stand assembly.